MODELS ARE COMMONLY USED TO STUDY FOOD SYSTEMS, YET FEW PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW EACH BRANCH OF MODELING VIEWS THE WORLD AND WHAT THE PIECES MEAN WHEN CONSIDERED TOGETHER. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO SUPPORT THE WRITING OF AN ACCESSIBLE BOOK, ENTITLED FOOD SYSTEMS MODELING, ABOUT THE USE OF MODELS TO EXPLORE THE ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF FOOD SYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY. WE WILL HOLD A 3-DAY WORKSHOP TO HELP THE CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS MULTI-AUTHOR VOLUME MEET THREE OBJECTIVES: (1) TO EXPAND THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF MODELING APPROACHES FROM OTHER DISCIPLINES, (2) TO DEVELOP A COMMON VISION FOR THE BOOK, AND (3) TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS CHALLENGES OF ACCURATELY COMMUNICATING MODEL RESULTS TO A BROAD AUDIENCE. EACH CONTRIBUTOR WILL PREPARE A DRAFT CHAPTER IN ADVANCE. AT THE WORKSHOP, PARTICIPANTS WILL SHARE THEIR INSIGHTS ON WHY AND HOW THEY USE MODELS TO STUDY FOOD SYSTEMS. IN ADDITION, PARTICIPANTS WILL CRITIQUE EACH OTHERS DRAFTS AND WILL COLLECTIVELY IDENTIFY COMMON THEMES, LINKAGES BETWEEN MODELS, AND COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES. A SHARED VISION FOR THE BOOK WILL BE DISCERNED THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THE AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES PROGRAM AREA INVITES "INTERDISCIPLINARY EFFORTS INVOLVING SOCIAL, BIOPHYSICAL, AND NATURAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES, " AND OUTPUT FROM THE WORKSHOP WILL BE RELEVANT TO "AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND RESOURCE USE" AND "CONSUMER BEHAVIOR, " BOTH INTERESTS OF THE ECONOMICS, MARKETS, AND TRADE PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY. WE EXPECT THE BOOK WILL HELP MOVE THE DISCOURSE BEYOND ITS CURRENT STATE TO A MORE THOUGHTFUL AND INFORMED DISCUSSION OF OPPORTUNITIES AND TRADEOFFS IN FOOD SYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY.