THE LONG TERM SUCCESS OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE LIES IN THE FUTURE WORKFORCE AND THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) AND THE COMBINATION OF RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROGRAMS. BROAD OBJECTIVE - WE PROPOSE TO EMPOWER THE FUTURE WORKFORCE THROUGH IPM INTERNSHIPS WITH ACTIVE LEARNING IN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION. ACTIVITIES -THE FACULTY AND RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTERS IN WEST TENNESSEE ARE STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED TO PROVIDE INTERNS HANDS-ON, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN PROGRESSIVE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION. INTERNS WILL WORK DIRECTLY IN IPM PROGRAMS FOCUSING ON AND EVALUATING INSECT, DISEASE, AND WEED MANAGEMENT, SOIL FERTILITY/HEALTH, IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT, AGRONOMIC PLANTING PRACTICES, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES (VARIABLE-RATE PRECISION AGRICULTURE, UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES AND IMAGERY ANALYSIS, PESTICIDE RESISTANCE MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT, AND APPLIED MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES FOR AGRICULTURE). BASICS OF EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND EVALUATION WILL BE TAUGHT AND DEMONSTRATED. ADDITIONALLY, INTERNS WILL DEVELOP COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS WHILE WORKING WITHIN AND ACROSS THEIR HOME PROGRAM WITH OTHER STUDENTS, TECHNICIANS, COUNTY AGENTS, AND FARMERS. RECRUITMENT OF INTERNS - SOLICITATION OF UNDERREPRESENTED AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED UNDERGRADUATES WITH INTERESTS IN AGRICULTURE AND/OR SCIENCE WITHIN THE 6 UNIVERSITIES/COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN THE JACKSON AREA WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH HELP FROM INTERNAL CONTACTS AT EACH (UNION UNIVERSITY, JACKSON STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS LAMBUTH CAMPUS, LANE COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE-MARTIN, AND FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY). INTENDED IMPACT - INTERNS WILL DEVELOP A HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF AGRICULTURE AND THE CHALLENGES IT FACES, GAINING JOB-BASED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE IN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION RESULTING IN AN INDUSTRY READY WORKFORCE WITHIN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES.