IN THE SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS REGION OF NORTHERN TEXAS, WHEAT AND BEEF CATTLE AGRICULTURE ARE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED IN WAYS THAT ARE UNCOMMON ELSEWHERE IN THE U.S. MUCH OF THE WHEAT THAT IS PLANTED IS GROWN SPECIFICALLY FOR GRAIN, WHICH GOES INTO BOTH FOOD AND FEED MARKETS. BUT MORE THAN 50% OF WHEAT ACREAGE IN THE REGION IS UTILIZED IN "PASTURE-GRAIN" WHEAT CROPPING SYSTEMS THAT ARE MANAGED TO SUPPORT LIVESTOCK GRAZING AND TO PRODUCE A GRAIN CROP. THESE WHEAT-BASED SYSTEMS HAVE REGIONAL AND NATIONAL IMPORTANCE, AS MANY BEEF CATTLE ARE SHIPPED TO THE REGION FOR WINTER GRAZING AND GRAIN IS SHIPPED NEAR AND FAR. THE SYSTEMS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY BEING EXPANSIVE AND RELATIVELY LOW YIELDING, IN PART DUE TO HISTORICAL AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, SUCH AS MONOCROPPING AND MAINTENANCE OF FALLOW IN OFF-SEASON PERIODS THAT TAKE A SIGNIFICANT TOLL ON PRODUCTIVITY AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY.IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS, THEY OFTEN EXPRESS INTEREST IN FINDING NEW MARKETS TO ENTER THAT WOULD IMPROVE THEIR OPERATIONS ECONOMICALLY. WHEN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IS DISCUSSED, MOST PRODUCERS LACK KNOWLEDGE ON ORGANIC BUT ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE. ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IS NEARLY ABSENT IN THE SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS REGION OF TEXAS. IN INVESTIGATING SPECIFIC BARRIERS TO ORGANIC ADOPTION, WE FOUND A VARIETY OF ISSUES THAT WE COULD ADDRESS TO GIVE PRODUCERS THE TOOLS TO MAKE THE TRANSITION TO ORGANIC. ON THE BUYERS END, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT COMPANIES THAT SOURCE ORGANIC WHEAT AND BEEF FROM TEXAS EXPERIENCE SUPPLY SHORTAGES. ALL OF THIS STAKEHOLDER INFORMATION SHOWED US THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING AN INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECT DEVOTED TO ORGANIC AGRICULTURE TRANSITION IN THIS REGION AND WE HAVE USED STAKEHOLDER INPUT IN TAILORING AND PLANNING THE PROJECT TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.OUR LONG-TERM GOAL IN THIS PROJECT IS TO EXPAND PRODUCTION OF ORGANIC WHEAT AND BEEF PRODUCTION IN THIS REGION AND IN DOING SO TO GIVE PRODUCERS MORE MARKET OPTIONS, IMPROVE RURAL ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, AND EXPAND ORGANIC SUPPLIES OF WHEAT AND BEEF. IN OUR RESEARCH, WE WILL DIRECTLY COMPARE CONVENTIONAL GRAIN-ONLY AND GRAZING-GRAIN WHEAT SYSTEMS, WITH ALL THE MOST COMMON REGIONAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN PLACE, TO TRANSITIONAL ORGANIC SYSTEMS THAT WILL BE MANAGED USING REGIONALLY ADAPTED COVER CROPS, REGIONALLY AVAILABLE ORGANIC FERTILIZER SOURCES, AND CROP ROTATION. THE EXPERIMENT WILL OCCUR AT A LARGE FIELD SCALE (100 ACRES), PROVIDING RESULTS THAT ARE DIRECTLY TRANSFERRABLE TO REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS BY CHARACTERIZING THE TRANSITION TO ORGANIC WITH ANIMAL IMPACTS ON THE SYSTEMS. WE WILL QUANTIFY SYSTEM MANAGEMENT IMPACTS ON CROP AND ANIMAL PERFORMANCE; SOIL MICROBIAL, NUTRIENT, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION, AND MOISTURE DYNAMICS; AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES. WE WILL CONNECT OUR RESULTS BETWEEN DISCIPLINES IN UNDERSTANDING HOW INDIVIDUAL PROCESSES AFFECT WHOLE SYSTEM FUNCTION DURING THE TRANSITION. AN INTENSIVE EXTENSION OUTREACH EFFORT WILL BE USED TO TAKE THE RESEARCH RESULTS TO STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS OUR 44,000 SQUARE MILE PROJECT AREA AND TO PROVIDE BASIC AND IN-DEPTH EDUCATION ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE. IMPACTS ON HIGHER EDUCATION WILL ALSO BE MADE, AS WE WILL PREPARE CURRICULUM FOR A COURSE SECTION ON THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE THAT WILL BE DELIVERED AND TAUGHT TO COOPERATING AGRICULTURE INSTRUCTORS IN TWO REGIONAL INSTITUTES OF HIGHER EDUCATION.TO SUMMARIZE SIMPLY, WE EXPECT THESE PROJECT ACTIVITIES TO OPEN DOORS THAT WERE OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE AND TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS FOR THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS OF THIS PROJECT.