TO PROMOTE GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION INNOVATIONS AIMED AT ENHANCING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND PROFITABILITY OF AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS, WESTERN SARE WILL INVEST RESOURCES PROVIDED BY USDA-NIFA IN RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE ACROSS WESTERN US. STAKEHOLDERS OF WESTERN SARE INCLUDE A WIDE RANGE OF SMALL-, MID- AND LARGE-SCALE FARMERS AND RANCHERS OF URBAN, RURAL, AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, RESEARCHERS, STUDENTS, EXTENSION AGENTS, AND AGRIBUSINESS PROFESSIONALS AS WELL AS OTHER FOOD SYSTEM PARTICIPANTS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CONSUMERS, STATE EMPLOYEES, AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH INTEREST IN SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES. TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, WESTERN SARE WILL COORDINATE SIX COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAMS AND TWO RESTRICTED GRANT PROGRAMS, FUNDED AT APPROXIMATELY 3:1 RATION FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, RESPECTIVELY. IN 2019-20, COMPETITIVE AND NON-COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAMS INCLUDE (1) RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, (2) PROFESSIONAL + PRODUCER, (3) FRAMER/RANCHER, (4) GRADUATE STUDENTS, (5) RESEARCH TO GRASSROOTS, (6) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, COMPETITIVE PROGRAM, (7) . PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, ENHANCED STATE PROGRAM, AND (8) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, STATE/PROTECTORATE PROGRAM. WESTERN SARE WILL WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL TO ASSEMBLE TECHNICAL COMMITTEES TO REVIEW PROPOSALS. ADDITIONALLY, WESTERN SARE WILL CONVEY MEETINGS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL TO ESTABLISH PRIORITIES, DETERMINE POLICIES, AND SELECT FUNDED PROJECTS. THE WESTERN SARE COMMUNICATION TEAM WILL DISTRIBUTE INFORMATION RELATED TO RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS THROUGH A NEWSLETTER, PRESS RELEASES, WEB PAGES, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND OTHER MATERIALS. REFLECTING THE MULTIPRONGED CHARACTERISTICS OF WESTERN SARE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WE EXPECT TO HAVE MULTIPLE AND DIVERSE OUTCOMES THAT, COLLECTIVELY, WILL ENHANCE THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSIONS OF AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS ACROSS WESTERN US.