SUCCESSFUL DAIRY FARM MANAGERS USE DATA AND INFORMATION FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS REGARDING FARM PROFITABILITY. BUT, FARM MANAGEMENT REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST LIMITED RESOURCES ON SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMS DUE TO THE INCREASING DEMANDS ON THE DAIRY FARM MANAGER'S TIME. MERGING PRODUCTION AND FINANCIAL DATABASES HAS GENERATED SIGNIFICANT INTEREST AND DISCUSSION IN RECENT YEARS AS A MEANS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WAYS TO IMPROVE PROFITABILITY, BUT RESEARCH MERGING ACTUAL FARM PRODUCTION AND FINANCIAL DATA HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHED. IDENTIFYING EFFICIENT METHODS TO ANALYZE COW PRODUCTION, PERFORMANCE, AND FINANCIAL DATA COLLECTED ON A REGULAR BASIS WILL PROVIDE SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED DAIRY FARMS WITH INFORMATION TO MAKE BETTER MANAGEMENT DECISIONS RESULTING IN THE ABILITY TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS INTEGRATED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECT PROPOSES TO ENHANCE THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED DAIRY FARMS BY USING EXISTING MILK QUALITY, PRODUCTION, AND FINANCIAL DATABASES TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF DAIRY MANAGEMENT DECISIONS. THIS LONG-TERM GOAL WILL BE ADDRESSED BY (1) DEVELOPING METHODOLOGIES TO MERGE EXISTING PRODUCTION AND FINANCIAL DATABASES (2) EVALUATING THE ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRODUCTION, MILK QUALITY ATTRIBUTES, AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF DAIRY FARMS, AND (3) DEVELOPING AND DELIVERING EXTENSION PROGRAMMING THAT HELPS FARMERS UNDERSTAND AND EVALUATE THE RELATIONSHIP ACROSS THE DAIRY SYSTEM. USING HISTORICAL DATA THAT INCLUDES THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF THE DAIRY SYSTEM PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE FARM MANAGEMENT DECISION SUPPORT TO IMPROVE THE FINANCIAL SUCCESS OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED DAIRY FARMS IN AN EVER-EVOLVING AGRICULTURAL ENVIRONMENT.