TRANSITIONING MIDWEST ROW CROPS TO ORGANIC PRODUCTION WILL GENERATE VALUABLE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS; HOWEVER, THERE ARE ECONOMIC AND AGRONOMIC CHALLENGES DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE TRANSITION SCENARIOS ON TOPOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES. WE WILL EXPLORE COVER CROP ENHANCEMENTS OF THE TRANSITION CORN-SOYBEAN-WHEAT ROTATION, THE TRANSITION SYSTEM REGARDED AT PRESENT AS THE MOST PROFITABLE. NOVEL COVER CROP-BASED ENHANCEMENT APPROACHES THAT WILL BE TESTED ARE EARLY COVER CROP PLANTING IN CORN, USE OF COVER CROP MIXTURES IN CORN AND WHEAT, AND TOPOGRAPHY DRIVEN SITE-SPECIFIC COVER CROPPING. KNOWLEDGE GAPS THAT WILL BE FILLED: MECHANISMS BEHIND COVER CROP-DRIVEN SOIL CARBON SEQUESTRATION, MAGNITUDES OF SOIL BIODIVERSITY BENEFITS IN TOPOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE LANDSCAPES, BENEFITS OF COVER CROP MIXTURES, BENEFITS OF SITE-SPECIFIC COVER CROP MANAGEMENT AS A FUNCTION OF TERRAIN AND WEATHER, AND IMPROVED KNOWLEDGE OF TRANSITION ECONOMICS. INTEGRATED EDUCATION AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES WILL ALLOW TRANSFER OF OUR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON COVER CROP OPTIMIZATION DURING THE TRANSITION IN A CORN-SOYBEAN-WHEAT ROTATION TO: (I) FARMERS, (II) EXTENSION EDUCATORS, (III) VARIOUS AGENCIES INVOLVED WITH COVER CROP RECOMMENDATIONS, AND (IV) OUR STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.