THE INCREASING IMMIGRANT POPULATION ON THE DELMARVA PENINSULA HAS CREATED THE DEMAND FOR LOCALLY GROWN ETHNIC CROPS. THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO BUILD UPON AND EXPAND CAPACITIES FOR RESEARCH, TEACHING AND EXTENSION BY WIDENING THE INVESTIGATION OF ETHNIC CROP PRODUCTION, IMPROVING PRE- AND POST-HARVEST PEST MANAGEMENT, CONDUCTING PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ANALYSIS ON THE CROPS, INVESTIGATING VALUE-ADDED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TO CREATE NICHE MARKETS, CREATING UNDERGRADUATE COURSES IN FOOD SCIENCE, PROVIDING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN AGRONOMIC PRODUCTION AND FOOD SCIENCE, AND CONDUCTING TRAINING WORKSHOPS FOR SMALL FARMERS ON SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION PRACTICES, VALUE-ADDED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT/PACKAGING/MARKETING, AND POTENTIAL MARKETS. PROVIDING SMALL FARMERS WITH RESEARCH-BASED PRODUCTION PRACTICES AND INTRODUCING THEM TO POTENTIAL VALUE-ADDED PRODUCT MARKETS WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH NEW WAYS TO PRODUCE INCOME THROUGH ALTERNATIVE ENTERPRISES AND IMPROVE THEIR PRODUCTIVITY. THE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAKEHOLDERS, AND HIGHLIGHT UMES' RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CAPABILITIES TO COMMUNITIES ON DELMARVA AND THE WASHINGTON, D.C. METROPOLITAN AREA. PROVIDING RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION PLOTS AND THE INVESTIGATION OF FOOD PRESERVATION METHODS AND VALUE-ADDED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WILL PROVIDE EXCELLENT ENVIRONMENTS TO EDUCATE GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, SMALL FARMERS, AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY ON ETHNIC CROP PRODUCTION AND THE PRINCIPLES OF FOOD SCIENCE. THE PROJECT OUTCOMES WILL BE DISSEMINATED THROUGH RESEARCH TOURS AND ON-FARM DEMONSTRATIONS, INFORMATIONAL LITERATURE, MARKETING AND CROP PRODUCTION GUIDELINES, AND TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS.