WHILE THERE ARE AN INCREASING NUMBER OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION RESOURCESAVAILABLE FOR FARMERS, THESE OFTEN ARE NOT DEVELOPED SPECIFIC TO THE FARMERS THEY SEEK TO SERVE ORBASED ON FARMER'S OWN PERSPECTIVES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THE LONG TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TOENHANCE THE SUCCESS OF SMALL, MEDIUM AND BEGINNING FARMERS IN THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES(SPECIFICALLY MAINE AND VERMONT) BY DEVELOPING CLIMATE CHANGE RESOURCES THAT CONSIDER FARMER'SOWN PERCEPTIONS, CONCERNS, EXPERIENCE, AND NEEDS. WE FOCUS ON THESE STATES BECAUSE OF THE HIGHPERCENT OF SMALL, MEDIUM AND BEGINNING FARMERS IN THIS REGION AND THE UNIQUE CLIMATE CHANGECHALLENGES FACING THE NORTHEAST. THROUGH A 5 STAGE INTEGRATED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECT THISPROPOSAL WILL: 1) ASSESS FARMER AND AGRICULTURAL ADVISOR PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES WITH CLIMATECHANGE THROUGH MENTAL MODELS, 2) UNDERSTAND THEIR DESIRED INFORMATION AND RESOURCE NEEDS AND THEEFFECT OF VARYING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ON FARMER BEHAVIOR THROUGH FOCUS GROUPS; 3)DEVELOP NEWTOOLS, RESOURCES AND INFORMATION FOR FARMERS TO UNDERSTAND AND PLAN FOR CLIMATE CHANGE; 4) WORKWITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR OUTREACH AND EVALUATION OF MATERIALS WITH SMALL AND MEDIUM FARMERSIN MAINE AND VERMONT; AND 5) EXPAND THE RELEVANCE OF THE PROJECT BEYOND OUR STATES TO THE BROADERNORTHEAST AND BEYOND THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH THE USDA NORTHEAST CLIMATE HUB. OURCOLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS ARE THE USDA NORTHEAST CLIMATE HUB, UVM EXTENSION'S NEW FARMERPROJECT/WOMEN'S AGRICULTURAL NETWORK, ASSOCIATION OF AFRICANS LIVING IN VERMONT, FARMERVETERAN COALITION OF VERMONT, THE BEGINNING FARMER RESOURCE NETWORK OF MAINE, THE MAINEORGANIC FARMING ASSOCIATION, AND THE NORTHEAST SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE WORKING GROUP. THESEPARTNERSHIPS ARE CRUCIAL FOR ENSURING LONGTERM LONGEVITY OF THE PROJECTS IN ADDITION TO A PROJECTWEBSITE. OUR PROPOSAL ALSO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES SOCIALLY-DISADVANTAGED FARMERS INCLUDINGVETERANS, REFUGEES, AND WOMEN.