NUMEROUS STUDIES HAVE REPORTED ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN MICROBIAL POPULATIONS ("RESISTOME") OF ANIMAL WASTE AND THEIR IMPACT ONTHE ENVIRONMENT. HOWEVER, LITTLE IS KNOWN CONCERNING THE IMPACT OF POULTRY LITTER ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. WE REPORTED THEIMMENSE ABUNDANCE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE GENES IN THE LITTER MICROBIOME. WHILE POULTRY LITTER IS AN EXCELLENT NITROGEN SOURCE,ITS APPLICATION TO SOILS INTRODUCES A SIGNIFICANTLY LARGE ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE GENE LOAD TO THE SOIL MICROBIOME. OUR CENTRALHYPOTHESIS IS THAT MOBILE DNA FROM LITTER MAY SPREAD ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE GENES THROUGHOUT THE MICROBIAL COMMUNITY OF SOILSTHEREBY INCREASING THE CONTAMINATION OF CROPS MEANT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. KILLING OR DISPLACING THE RESIDENT ANTIBIOTICRESISTANT POPULATION IN POULTRY LITTER COULD LIMIT ITS SPREAD TO OTHER MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES. TO IMPROVE SOIL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES,WE PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES. OBJECTIVE 1. QUANTIFY THE IMPACT OF POULTRY LITTER ON THE MICROBIAL SOIL CONSORTIUMAND "RESISTOME" OF CROP AND PASTURELANDS. ASSESS THE IMPACT OF SOIL AMENDMENTS ON SOIL CHEMISTRY, MICROBIAL DIVERSITY, ANDANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE GENE ABUNDANCE IN CROP AND PASTURE LAND. OBJECTIVE 2. PROCESS POULTRY LITTER TO REDUCE THEENVIRONMENTAL SPREAD OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE GENES WHILE MAINTAINING ITS VITALITY AS A SOIL AMENDMENT. IDENTIFY ATREATMENT THAT REDUCES ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE GENE ABUNDANCE AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE TRANSFER. OBJECTIVE 3. DEVELOP BESTPRACTICES FOR POULTRY WASTE MANAGEMENT AND ITS APPLICATION TO SOILS FOR PRODUCING HEALTHY, SAFE AGRICULTURAL CROPS.DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO COMMUNICATE ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH POULTRY LITTER AND BESTMANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR HANDLING, PROCESSING, AND APPLYING POULTRY LITTER TO SOILS.