THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PROVIDE THE POULTRY INDUSTRY IN THE US A NOVEL ANAEROBIC DIGESTION TECHNOLOGY TO TREAT RAW POULTRY LITTER WITH MINIMAL WATER USAGE TO PRODUCE NOT ONLY RENEWABLE ENERGY (METHANE) BUT ALSO A VALUABLE FERTILIZER THAT CAN BE USED ON FARM OR TRANSPORTED AWAY TO OTHER NUTRIENT DEFICIENT AREAS AT REASONABLE COSTS. THE VIABILITY OF AGRICULTURE AS A SOURCE FOR FOOD, FEED FIBER AND FUELS WILL DEPEND ON OUR ABILITY TO RECONCILE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION WITH ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY. AND RESEARCH ON SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IS THUS CRUCIAL TO DEVELOPING THE KNOWLEDGE BASE TO IMPLEMENT REQUIRED AGRICULTURAL INNOVATIONS. THIS NIFA/AFRI PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON EXPLORING AND DEVELOPING AN INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL LEAD TO A COMPREHENSIVE UTILIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION WASTES INCLUDING POULTRY LITTER IN PARTICULAR AND CROP RESIDUES SUCH AS RICE/WHEAT STRAW TO PRODUCE BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY THROUGH PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL/ELECTRICAL/BIOLOGICAL CONVERSIONS. ANAEROBIC DIGESTION WILL BE EMPLOYED TO CO-TREAT POULTRY LITTER WITH WHEAT STRAW TO OVERCOME THE LOW C/N CONTENT OF POULTRY LITTER, WITH ALL THE PROCESS PARAMETERS SUCH AS CARBON/NITROGEN RATIO, PH, ORGANIC LOADING RATE, ETC., BEING OPTIMIZED. IN ADDITION OF METHANE, A SLOW RELEASE FERTILIZER (STRUVITE) WILL BE PRODUCED IN THIS PROJECT. USE OF FORWARD OSMOSIS/MEMBRANE DISTILLATION IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND ENDEAVOR TO CLEAN UP DIGESTION EFFLUENT FOR WATER REUSE TO REDUCE WATER CONSUMPTION SYSTEMWIDE. THE INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE OBTAINED FROM THIS PROJECT WILL BE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC THROUGH BOTH REFEREED AND NON-REFEREED JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS, EXTENSION/EDUCATION EVENTS, CLASSROOM TEACHING, AND AMONG OTHERS. THE ULTIMATE GOALS OF THIS RESEARCH WILL BE TO PROTECT THE SOIL AND WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE NATION BY REDUCING THE VOLUME OF WASTES PRODUCED AND MAXIMIZING THE VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS PRODUCTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS SO THE POULTRY INDUSTRY IN THE US CAN BE SUSTAINED IN A LONG RUN.