WE PROPOSE LINKING THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU'S LONGITUDINAL BUSINESS DATABASE, AND A COMPARABLE PROPRIETARY DATA PRODUCT, WITH PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INDICATORS OF RURALITY FROM FEDERAL STATISTICAL AGENCIES, AND CONSTRUCTING NEW RURAL INDICATORS THAT INCORPORATE BUSINESS DISTANCE TO WORKING POPULATIONS. ACCESS TO BUSINESS ADDRESS INFORMATION IN ESTABLISHMENT-LEVEL MICRODATA, AVAILABLE THROUGH THE FEDERAL STATISTICAL RESEARCH DATA CENTER PROGRAM, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY TO CHARACTERIZE RURALITY IN A MANNER THAT IS MEANINGFUL FOR UNDERSTANDING BUSINESS BEHAVIOR AND PERFORMANCE. ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL BRING PUBLIC COUNTY-LEVEL DATA FROM NASS TO OVERLAY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION REGIONS ON TOP OF THE RURAL BOUNDARIES WE CONSTRUCT. THESE DATA, IN COMBINATION WITH DATA FROM RESEARCH NOW UNDERWAY (TO IDENTIFY NON-FARM FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES), WILL PERMIT COMPREHENSIVE MEASUREMENT OF RURAL ECONOMIES' DEPENDENCE ON ALL FOOD AND AGRICULTURE-RELATED ACTIVITIES. WE PROPOSE USING THESE DATA TO INVESTIGATE HOW STANDARD MEASURES OF ESTABLISHMENT AND INDUSTRY DYNAMICS DIFFER BETWEEN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS OF THE COUNTRY. WE WILL CONSTRUCT STATISTICS DESCRIBING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY SEPARATELY FOR ESTABLISHMENTS ACROSS URBAN AND RURAL AREAS, ACROSS PRIMARY LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION ZONES, AND FOR ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE FOOD-AND-FIBER SUPPLY CHAIN OVERALL. OUR PROJECT WILL PROVIDE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCHERS TO STUDY HOW LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND SHOCKS TO AGRICULTURAL MARKETS PROPAGATE THROUGH LOCAL ECONOMIES AND OPEN UP AN ENTIRELY NEW AREA OF INVESTIGATION.