ALABAMA A&AMP;M UNIVERSITY (AAMU), FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY (FVSU), AND TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY (TSU) ARE COOPERATING TO ASSESS AND PROMOTE THE ADOPTION OF DIGITAL MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES AMONG SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED SPECIALTY CROP ENTERPRISES IN ALABAMA, GEORGIA AND TENNESSEE WHICH COLLECTIVELY ACCOUNT FOR OVER $18 MILLION IN TOTAL AGRICULTURAL RECEIPTS. IN ALL THE THREE STATES, THERE IS A GOOD NUMBER OF FARMERS WITH HIGH SPEED INTERNET, AND THERE ARE PROPORTIONALLY MORE FARMS GENERATING REVENUE FROM AGRO-TOURISM THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.WITH RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS BEING AT THE HEART OF THE DIRECT MARKETING CONCEPT, THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA ARE VIEWED AS EFFECTIVE MARKETING TOOLS BECAUSE THEY FACILITATE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THESE TWO GROUPS. MARKETING IS IMPORTANT TO ALL FARM ENTERPRISES, REGARDLESS OF SIZE. EXPERTS, INCLUDING EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS,STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT PRODUCERS IDENTIFY AND RESEARCHTHEIR MARKET BEFORE THEY PRODUCE. SOME FARMERS, SUCH AS CASH GRAIN OR DAIRY FARMERS, HAVE LARGE, WELL-ESTABLISHED MARKETS. THEY CAN USE EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS TO PERFORM THE MARKETING FUNCTION FOR THEM, OR THEY CAN BAND TOGETHER, FORM A COOPERATIVE, AND MARKET THEIR PRODUCTS JOINTLY. HOWEVER, SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZE PRODUCERS (FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS) GENERALLY HAVE MORE DIFFICULTY FINDING ESTABLISHED MARKETS. THEREFORE, THEY USUALLY DEVELOP AND EMBRACE DIRECT MARKETING SYSTEMS TAILORED TO THEIR UNIQUE SITUATIONS WHICH INCLUDE FARMERS MARKETS, ROADSIDE STANDS, AGRO-TOURISM, COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA), PICK-YOUR-OWN, ETC. DIRECT MARKETING HAS THE OBVIOUS ADVANTAGE IN THAT A PRODUCER CAN INCREASE THE VALUE OF THEIR PRODUCT BY ELIMINATING (E.G., BROKER FEES, PACKAGING) OR TAKING OVER COMMON MIDDLEMEN SERVICES. AS PREVIOUSLY NOTED, SOME OF THE POPULAR DIRECT MARKETING STRATEGIES INCLUDE FARMERS MARKETS, CSA, DIRECT SALES TO RESTAURANTS, INSTITUTIONS, FARM-TO-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, FOOD HUBS, AS WELL AS AGRO-TOURISM AND INTERNET-BASED DIRECT MARKETING. THIS STUDY EVALUATES THE IMPACT OF EMERGING COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION AS A PART OF SPECIALTY CROP ENTREPRENEURS' MARKETING STRATEGY ON BUSINESS PERFORMANCE. THE PROJECT'S DISSEMINATION PLAN INCLUDES SCHOLARLY PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS, WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT WITH DIGITAL MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION BEST PRACTICES, LEARNING MODULES FOR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, EXTENSION MODULE FOR EXTENSION PERSONNEL, 4-H AND SPECIALTY CROP AUDIENCES AND STAKEHOLDERS. THE PROJECT ADDS VALUE TO THE KNOWLEDGE BASE OF HOW SPECIALTY CROP ENTREPRENEURS USE DIGITAL MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES. THE INVESTIGATION OF BEST PRACTICES IN DIGITAL MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION FOR SPECIALTY CROP ENTREPRENEURS WILL PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO WHAT PRODUCERS AND THEIR OPERATIONS SHOULD DO TO HARNESS THE POWER OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES TO EXTEND THE REACH OF THEIR GOODS AND SERVICES. BEST PRACTICES WILL BE IDENTIFIED, DOCUMENTED AND THENINCORPORATED INTO REUSABLE LEARNING MODULES FOR USE IN POST-SECONDARY CLASSROOMS AND FOR 4-H AND SPECIALTY CROPS AUDIENCES. THIS RESEARCH PROJECT ADDRESSES PROBLEMS OF NATIONAL, REGIONAL, AND MULTI-STATE IMPORTANCE IN SUSTAINING ALL COMPONENTS OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, INCLUDING FARM PROFITABILITY AND RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. IT SUPPORTS ACTIVITIES THAT DELIVER SCIENCE-BASED KNOWLEDGE TO FARMERS, GIVING THEM TOOLS TO MAKE INFORMED MARKETING DECISIONS. AN IMPORTANT CHALLENGE AREA ADDRESSED IN THIS PROJECT IS THAT OF KEEPING AMERICAN AGRICULTURE COMPETITIVE. ACCESS TO MARKETS WILL KEEP SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMS COMPETITIVE AND GENERATE RURAL EMPLOYMENT WHILE ALLOWING SMALL FARMS TO ENGAGE WITH NEW MARKET ACCESS TOOLS. FINDINGS WILL ENHANCE POSTSECONDARY AND 4-H AUDIENCES' AND SPECIALTY CROP STAKEHOLDERS' KNOWLEDGE OF DIGITAL MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION TOOLS. EXPECTED OUTPUTS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE COMPETITIVENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY OF AGRICULTURE AND LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS THROUGH RATIONAL DECISIONS REGARDING SPECIALTY CROP ENTREPRENEURS' USE OF DIGITAL MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES.