** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE US HAS A GOAL OF TRANSFORMING FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS TO INCREASE AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION BY 40% WHILE REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT BY 50% BY 2050. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM FOR PRODUCINGSUSTAINABLE, SAFE, AFFORDABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE SOURCES OF HIGH-VALUE, HEALTHY FOODS- WHILE FOCUSING ON AND INCREASING AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION IN RURAL, LOW-INCOME, AND UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY (URM) COMMUNITIES.THE SCIENTIFIC REPORT OF THE 2020 DIETARY GUIDELINES ADVISORY COMMITTEE (2020 COMMITTEE) REPORTS THAT 6 IN 10 AMERICANS HAVE DIET-RELATED CHRONIC CONDITIONS- DIABETES, METABOLIC SYNDROME, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, ETC. -WITH 4 IN 10 HAVING 2 OR MORE. IN 2016, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD) AND TYPE 2 DIABETES (T2D) COST AMERICA $555B AND $327B, RESPECTIVELY, WITH COSTS EXPECTED TO MORE THAN DOUBLE BY 2035. LOWER-INCOME AND URM HOUSEHOLDS ARE DISPROPORTIONALLY AFFECTED BY CHRONIC CONDITIONSAND FOOD INSECURITY, HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF TARGETED RESEARCH AND OUTREACH. THE 2020-2025 DIETARY GUIDELINES ENCOURAGE 2+ SERVINGS PER WEEK OF SEAFOOD AS A GOOD SOURCE OF PROTEIN AND HEALTHY FATS (POLYUNSATURATED FATS - PUFA). REPLACING SATURATED FATS - LIKE THOSE FOUND IN MEATS AND FULL-FAT DAIRY PRODUCTS - WITH PUFA HAS BEEN SHOWN TO LOWER RISK OF CVD, T2D, AND SOME CANCERS. INCREASES IN SEAFOOD INTAKE MUST BE BALANCED WITH CAUTION. THE FDA AND EPA ISSUED JOINT ADVICE TO CHOOSE SEAFOOD LOWEST IN CONTAMINANTS OR EAT LESS THAN RECOMMENDED IN THE GUIDELINES. THE 2020 COMMITTEE ALSO RECOGNIZED THAT RECOMMENDATIONS TO INCREASE SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS THAT SHOULD BE EVALUATED WHEN DEVELOPING GUIDELINES. STRATEGIES TO INCREASE INTAKE OF HEALTHY, SAFE SEAFOOD, WHILE MINIMIZING NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, ARE CRITICAL TO SLOW THE RISE OF CHRONIC DISEASE IN THE US. FURTHERMORE, TARGETED OUTREACH IS NEEDED FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, SUCH AS LOW-INCOME, RURAL, AND URM POPULATIONS - WHO OFTEN HAVE THE LEAST ACCESS TO LOCAL, HEALTHY SEAFOOD OPTIONS.PARTNERINGWITH URM POPULATIONS TO INCREASE FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND LOCAL PRODUCTION OFHEALTHY FOODS (LIKE AQUACULTURE-PRODUCED FISH AND PRODUCE) IN THEIR COMMUNITIES CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT URM PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES. OUR HBCU-LED, MULTIDISCIPLINARY LAND-GRANT TEAM - PARTNERING 1890 HBCU, 1994 TRIBAL COLLEGE, AND 1862 INSTITUTIONS - WILL INVESTIGATE HEMP AS A SAFE, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLYFEED FOR AQUACULTURE. INCREASING AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION OF FISH - USING HEMP AS A FEED INGREDIENT - COULDALLEVIATE SAFETY CONCERNS OF SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION; INCREASE ECONOMIC MARKETS AND PRODUCTION SUSTAINABILITY FOR BOTH SEAFOOD AND HEMP, AND IMPROVE HUMAN HEALTH. IN ADDITION TO THE HEMP FEED RESEARCH,WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH THE MENOMINEE NATION TO EXPAND ON THEIR DESIRE TO INCREASE FOOD SOVEREIGNTYBY PROVIDING FINANCIAL START-UP AND TRAINING SUPPORT FOR NEW AQUACULTURE PRODUCERS; PROVIDINGEXTENSION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS FOR CONSUMERS; AND ESTABLISHING A PILOT AQUAPONICS PROGRAM AT COLLEGE OF MENOMINEE NATION (CMN) WHERE TRIBAL MEMBERS CAN LEARN ABOUT AQUACULTURE AND PARTICIPATE IN FISH AND PRODUCE DISTRIBUTIONS. THE EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CSU ANDCMN - ESTABLISHED BY THIS PROJECT - WILL ALLOW US TO INCREASE NATIVE AMERICAN DIVERSITY IN AGRICULTURE BY DEVELOPING AQUACULTURECERTIFICATE PROGRAMS, ESTABLISHING NEW AQUACULTURE PRODUCERS; INCREASING YOUTH INTEREST IN AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS THROUGH EXTENSION PROGRAMS; AND PROVIDING TRAINING, MENTORSHIP, AND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CMN GRADUATES TO COMPLETE THEIR AGRICULTURE-RELATED BACHELOR'S DEGREES AT CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY.