** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** AS EARTH'S POPULATION GROWS, PRESSURE IS MOUNTING TO OPTIMIZE OUR FOOD PRODUCTION. THIS NEWLY FUNDED PROJECT AIMS TO INTENSIFY U.S. DAIRY PRODUCTION BY DEVELOPING NATURAL, NUTRITIONAL ALGAE-BASED FEED SUPPLEMENTS FOR CATTLE. THESE ADDITIVES ARE INTENDED TO IMPROVE FEED EFFICIENCIES AND MILK YIELDS, AND CAN ALSORECAPTURE NUTRIENTS AND REDUCING FRESHWATER USAGE. RECENT RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT CERTAIN SEAWEED FEED ADDITIVES INHIBIT METHANOGENESIS IN THE RUMEN, AN ENERGETICALLY COSTLY PROCESS THAT SLOWS ANIMAL GROWTH AND PRODUCTION EFFICIENCIES. FURTHER, U.S. DOMESTIC SEAWEED PRODUCTION PROVIDES NATURALLY OCEAN-SOURCED VITAMINS AND MINERALS. MICROSCOPIC ALGAE CAN OFFER SIMILAR BENEFITS, AND WOULD PROVIDE A UNIQUELY SCALABLE SOLUTION FOR STATES FAR FROM THE COAST. WITH EITHER APPROACH, DOMESTIC ALGAE PRODUCTION FOR LIVESTOCK FEED ADDITIVES PRESENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO FACILITATE RURAL PROSPERITY FOR DAIRY AND ALGAE FARMERS, AND SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FROM COAST TO COAST.THE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM'S LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS AND FIELD TRIALS TO TEST CANDIDATE SCALABLE ALGAE SPECIES WILL BE PAIRED WITH SUPPLY CHAIN, ECONOMIC IMPACT, AND LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENTS. OUR GOAL IS TO BALANCE SAFE, NUTRITIOUS, VALUE-ADDED MILK PRODUCTION WITH ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY. THIS HOLISTIC APPROACH WILL ALLOW THE RESEARCHERS TO OPTIMIZE ALGAL FEED ADDITIVES AND ASSESS THEIR IMPACT ON ANIMALS, FARMS, COMMUNITIES, AND THE PLANET. AN INTEGRATED OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM WILL ENGAGE DAIRY PRODUCERS, AQUACULTURE FARMERS, FEED SUPPLIERS, INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS, STUDENTS AT EVERY ACADEMIC LEVEL, POLICYMAKERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO AMPLIFY THE RESEARCH PROGRAM'S IMPACT.