INCREASING DEMAND FOR ORGANIC FOOD OFTEN IS NOT MET DUE TO THE LIMITED NUMBER OF PRODUCERS ENGAGING/ADOPTING THE MANAGEMENT COMPLEXITIES FUNDAMENTAL TO ORGANIC SYSTEM AND REQUIRED TO MEET PRODUCTION PARITY WITH CONVENTIONAL SYSTEMS. COMPLEXITIES INVOLVE SOIL FERTILITY/NUTRIENTS, DIVERSE SOIL BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES, SOIL HEALTH, AND USE OF COVER CROPS AND ANIMAL MANURES OFTEN ON INTEGRATED CROP-LIVESTOCK FARMS (ICLF). MICROBIAL ECOLOGY ON ICLF ALSO CAN IMPACT FOOD SAFETY THROUGH PATHOGEN TRANSFER BETWEEN ANIMALS AND CROPS. RECENT REPORTS OF PATHOGEN CONTAMINATED PRODUCTS SOLD IN LOCAL ORGANIC RETAIL, ROADSIDE AND FARMERS MARKETS HIGHLIGHT THE NEED FOR ASSESSMENT OF THE ECOLOGICAL PATTERNS OF BACTERIAL PATHOGENS, WHEN THEY OCCUR ON ICLFS, AND THEIR SURVIVAL/TRANSFER TO CROPS THROUGH USE OF RAW OR COMPOSTED MANURE-BASED SOIL AMENDMENTS, OR BY WORKERS, EQUIPMENT, AND VECTORS. WE PROPOSE TO ASSESS THE ECOLOGICAL PATTERNS OF TWO MAJOR BACTERIAL PATHOGENS, SALMONELLA ENTERICA (SE) AND SHIGATOXIN-PRODUCING E. COLI (STEC), INCLUDING THEIR SURVIVAL/TRANSMISSION PATHWAYS AND DEVELOP CONTROL STRATEGIES. THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE TO A) DETERMINE THE SOURCES, SURVIVAL ABILITY IN THE FARM ENVIRONMENT AND CONTAMINATION PATHWAYS OF SE AND STEC; B) DEVELOP PRACTICAL MEANS TO CONTROL SE AND STEC FARM ENVIRONMENT AND ELIMINATE FROM PRODUCE BY USING ALTERNATIVE NATURAL ANTIMICROBIAL COMPONENTS; AND C) DISSEMINATE OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT FOR CONTROLLING CONTAMINATION BY ON-FARM PRACTICES AND THE BEST OPTIONS TO ELIMINATE THESE PATHOGENS FROM THE PRODUCE TO DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS. THE STUDY WILL GENERATE EXTENSIVE DATA ON THE DYNAMICS OF THESE BACTERIAL PATHOGENS IN ICLF AND ITS PRODUCTS, AND OFFER EFFECTIVE CONTROL STRATEGIES.