IN THE PALOUSE REGION OF THE US NORTHWEST, DEMAND FOR LOCALLY PRODUCED FOOD HAS OUTGROWN PRODUCTION CAPACITY, PRESENTING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SCALING UP VEGETABLE AND FRUIT PRODUCTION BY SMALL-ACREAGE FARMS IF THEY CAN OVERCOME A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES: MOST IMPORTANTLY, IDENTIFYING AND CONVERTING SUITABLE LAND TO PRODUCTION.THIS INTEGRATED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECT WILL IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME BARRIERS TO SCALING UP VEGETABLE AND FRUIT PRODUCTION BY SMALL FARMS ON THE PALOUSE. PRIMARY DATA COLLECTED THROUGH INTERVIEWS, FOCUS GROUPS, AND A SURVEY WILL BE INTEGRATED WITH EXISTING DATA IN A SERIES OF ANALYSES TO 1) IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE SUITABLE NEW LAND FOR VEGETABLE AND FRUIT PRODUCTION BASED ON BIOPHYSICAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC FACTORS; 2) IDENTIFY PRODUCER CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCALING UP PRODUCTION; 3) IDENTIFY THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH LANDOWNERS WOULD SELL OR LEASE SUITABLE LAND TO SMALL FARMS; 4) AND IDENTIFY ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTSAND LAND USE IMPLICATIONS OF SCALING UP PRODUCTION. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES WILL RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATE BEST PRACTICES FOR SOIL MANAGEMENT AND WATER CONSERVATION ON NEW AND CONVERTED LANDS. EXTENSION ACTIVITIES WILL PROVIDE TRAINING AND RESOURCES FOR NEW AND EXISTING SMALL FARMS TO SCALE UP PRODUCTION OF VEGETABLES AND FRUITS.THIS PROJECT WILL ASSIST SMALL-FARM PRODUCER DECISION-MAKING TO INCREASE THE COMPETITIVENESS AND SUCCESS OF SMALL FARMS AS PART OF LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENT OF US AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS. INCREASING SMALL FARM PRODUCTION OF VEGETABLES AND FRUITS WILL HELP INCREASE SMALL FARM INCOME, INCREASE RURAL FAMILY AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING, AND HELP BUILD MORE RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEMS.