**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS INTEGRATED (RESEARCH/EXTENSION) AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES (AERC) SMALL AND MEDIUM FARMS PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY PROPOSAL FOCUSES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTHERN HERITAGE CROPS (SHCS) THAT COULD PROVIDE NEW DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGIES FOR SMALL/MEDIUM FARMERS IN THE SOUTH. SHCS MADE UP THE GROWING SYSTEM OF THE SOUTH PRIOR TO 1960. THESE TRADITIONAL ROW CROPS, GARDEN VEGETABLES, AND FRUITS SHAPED THE REGION'S CULINARY HERITAGE AND CULTURE, BUT FELL OUT OF FAVOR AS NEW HIGHER YIELDING CROPS WERE DEVELOPED, BETTER ADAPTED TO LONGER SUPPLY CHAIN FOOD SYSTEMS AND BETTER ABLE TO RESIST A WIDE VARIETY OF PEST AND DISEASE PRESSURES. RESURGENT INTEREST IN LOCALLY SOURCED AND GEOGRAPHICALLY IDENTIFIED FOOD PRODUCTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE NOTED FOR SUPERLATIVE FLAVOR AND NUTRITION, COMBINED WITH MODERN METHODS TO IDENTIFY AND QUICKLY AMPLIFY GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS OF CROPS, PROVIDE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS ALIKE. SHCS POSSESS A UNIQUE POTENTIAL FOR SMALL/MEDIUM FARMERS TO DIVERSIFY EXISTING OPERATIONS AND CREATE WHOLLY NEW OPERATIONS FOCUSED ON POTENTIALLY PROFITABLE PRODUCT NICHES. THIS PROPOSAL DETERMINES THE MARKET NICHES OF SHCS AND DEFINES THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS MARKET TO DEVELOP ITS FULL POTENTIAL.