SMALL RUMINANTS PROVIDE A PROFITABLE NICHE FOR ORGANIC GROWERS. HOWEVER, CERTAIN INTESTINAL PARASITES, SPECIFICALLYGASTROINTESTINAL NEMATODE (GIN) INFECTIONS, ARE THE MAJOR FACTOR LIMITING ORGANIC PRODUCTION. CONSUMPTION OF CONDENSED TANNIN (CT) CONTAINING FORAGES AIDS IN SUPPRESSING GIN INFECTIONS, HOWEVER, THE BULK OF THE RESEARCH ON GIN CONTROL HAS BEEN ON FORAGES ADAPTED FOR WARM CLIMATES. OUR PREVIOUS WORK SHOWED THAT A TEMPERATE FORAGE, BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL (BFT), HAS ANTHELMINTIC ACTIVITY, HOWEVER EFFICACY VARIES WITH THE AMOUNT OF CT-CONTAINING FORAGE IN THE DIET. BECAUSE BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL IS SLOW TO ESTABLISH, IMPROVED METHODS TO ASSURE HIGH LEVELS IN PASTURES OR IN RUMINANT RATIONS ARE NEEDED TO REALIZE THE POTENTIAL FOR GIN CONTROL. THIS PROPOSAL REPRESENTS THE NEXT LOGICAL STEPS IN RESEARCH, BY ESTABLISHING A MULTI-STATE, MULTI-DISCIPLINARY PROJECT TO ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFITABILITY OF ORGANIC LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION IN THE NORTHEAST. SPECIFICALLY, COMMERCIALLY-AVAILABLE CULTIVARS OF BFT WILL BE EVALUATED BY: 1) COMPARING AGRONOMIC PASTURE ESTABLISHMENT PRACTICES, 2) DETERMINING EFFICACY OF GIN SUPPRESSION USING IN VITRO AND IN VIVO METHODS, INCLUDING GRAZING TRIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL INFECTIONS, 3) DEMONSTRATING THESE IMPROVED PASTURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN ON-FARM TRIALS AND 4) EXTENDING THESE PRACTICES TO ORGANIC AND TRANSITIONING GROWERS. OUTREACH ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE GROWER TRIALS, IPM WORKSHOPS, FIELD DAYS, AND WILL ALSO EXPLORE USE OF ON-LINE SERVICES SUCH AS EORGANIC AND EXTENSION. GROWERS WILL REALIZE INCREASED ANIMAL PRODUCTIVITY, REDUCED NUMBERS OF ANIMALS REMOVED FROM ORGANIC STATUS DUE TO DEWORMER INTERVENTION, AND WILL HAVE INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN COPING WITH GIN DURING TRANSITION FROM CONVENTIONAL TO ORGANIC FARMING. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES OREI GOALS ONE, THREE, AND FOUR.