THE INCREASED CONCERN AND AWARENESS OF THE IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION ON THE ENVIRONMENT AMONG PUBLIC CREATE NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLY PRODUCED CROPS. A LARGE BODY OF LITERATURE SHOWS THAT CONSUMERS ARE WILLING TO PAY MORE FOR ECO OR SUSTAINABLE LABELED FOOD PRODUCTS (BOUGHERARA AND COMBRIS, 2009, GAO ET AL. 2017, CHEN ET AL. 2018, XU ET AL., 2012). MARKETING STRATEGIES TO INCREASE CONSUMERS' AND PRODUCERS' BUY-IN FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES HAS BEEN PINPOINTED AS A PRIORITY RESEARCH DIRECTION BY THE MARKETING LITERATURE (MCDONAGH AND PROTHERO 2014).BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS) ARE BROADLY DEFINED AS SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES THAT AIM AT OPTIMUM PLANT PRODUCTION WITH MINIMAL ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT (FOLLOWING EXISTING LITERATURE, HEREAFTER WE MEAN BMPS WHEN WE MENTION SUSTAINABLE AND CONSERVATION PRACTICES). DEVELOPING NOVEL BMPS TO RESPOND TO INCREASING SOCIETAL DEMANDS ON AGRICULTURE AND TO ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL OUTCOMES IS KEY PRIORITY FOR FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES, LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITIES, PRODUCER ASSOCIATIONS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDER GROUPS. NEW ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES WILL EMERGE WHEN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMERS PRODUCERS START TAILORING THEIR BMP CHOICES TO CONSUMERS' PREFERENCES FOR BOTH AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES. THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL DEPEND ON PRODUCERS' SKILLS AND STRATEGIES USED TO COMMUNICATE THEIR BMP CHOICES AND THE BMP OUTCOMES TO CONSUMERS THROUGH EFFECTIVE MARKETING STRATEGIES. WITH ACCESS TO NEW MARKETING STRATEGIES, PRODUCERS CHOOSING TO ADOPT VARIOUS BMP SETS CAN DIFFERENTIATE THEIR PRODUCTS, THUS EARNING A PRICE PREMIUM AND INCREASING FARM PROFITABILITY. PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION IN THE MARKETPLACE ALLOWS NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMERS TO SUCCEED WHILE ENHANCING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS AN INTEGRATED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECT THAT WILL INVESTIGATE CONSUMER AND PRODUCER ATTITUDES TOWARD SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, SPECIFICALLY AGRICULTURAL BMPS, AIMING TO INCREASE SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMS' PROFITABILITY BY BRIDGING THE INFORMATION GAP BETWEEN CONSUMERS, GROWERS, RESEARCHERS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. THE LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO AID SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMS IN PROVIDING SPECIALTY CROPS THAT ARE PRODUCED WITH SUSTAINABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY-SOUND PRACTICES, WHICH MEET CONSUMER DEMAND FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND GENERATE ADDITIONAL FARM INCOME. WE EXPECT TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC NEEDS AND PREFERENCES OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED GROWERS AND CONSUMERS THAT, IF MET, WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE WHOLE FOOD SYSTEM.THE PROPOSED PROJECT USES EXPERIMENTAL AUCTIONS, GROWER SURVEY AS EXTENSION ACTIVITIES TO SYSTEMATICALLY STUDY SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARM OWNERS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES AND CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR PRODUCTS GROWN USING SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES. IT ALSO EXAMINES THE IMPACT OF MARKETING INFORMATION ON PRODUCERS' ADOPTION OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES. THIS SYSTEMATIC APPROACH WILL BRIDGE THE INFORMATION GAPS BETWEEN CONSUMERS, GROWERS, AGENCIES, RESEARCHERS, AND OUTREACH PROFESSIONALS.THE FINDINGS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROSPERITY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMS, IMPROVE THE ADOPTION RATE OF ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY PRODUCTION PRACTICES, AND DELIVER HEALTHY SPECIALTY CROPS TO CONSUMERS IN A MANNER THEY PREFER. THIS PROJECT BENEFITS U.S. AGRICULTURE AS A WHOLE BY PROVIDING MARKETING INFORMATION TO VARIOUS AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES (SUCH AS THE NATION'S VEGETABLE GROWERS) AND BY ENABLING U.S. FEDERAL AND STATE POLICYMAKERS TO ENACT THE APPROPRIATE POLICIES TO KEEP GROWERS ON THE LAND AND INCREASE THE PROFITABILITY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMS.