** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** ACROSS THE GLOBE, AGRICULTURAL FOOD SECURITY IS CRITICALLY THREATENED BY COMPLEX AND RECALCITRANT ISSUES INCLUDING A BURGEONING POPULATION, A CHANGING CLIMATE, SHIFTS IN PESTS AND PATHOGENS AND THE EROSION OF SOIL HEALTH (HEEB ET AL. 2019; JONES ET AL. 2013; SAVARY ET AL. 2019). TOGETHER THESE ISSUES DEMAND MORE EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE USE OF RESOURCES IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. AT THE SAME TIME, INTENSIVE CROP PRODUCTION HAS BECOME DATA RICH AS MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES TO TRANSFORM TRADITIONAL FARMING APPROACHES TO ADDRESS GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY. EFFECTIVELY HARNESSING THESE DATA THROUGH PRECISION TECHNOLOGIES HAS CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED POTENTIAL TO ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY, EFFICIENCY AND ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES ACROSS PRIMARY PRODUCTION (HEDLEY 2015). OVERCOMING THESE CHALLENGES DEMANDS A HIGH LEVEL OF AGRICULTURAL LITERACY AMONG EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, AND FUTURE LEADERS, HOWEVER, STUDIES INDICATE THAT, IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL LITERACY ARE STILL NECESSARY (KOVAR AND BALL 2013).OUR LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO ADDRESS A CRITICAL WORKFORCE DEFICIENCY IN AGRICULTURAL PLANT SCIENCES THAT WILL BE IMMERSED IN THE DIGITAL ERA. THESE PROFESSIONS USE RESEARCH-BASED KNOWLEDGE TO DEVELOP AND EXTEND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO SERIOUS PROBLEMS FACING US AGRICULTURE. THIS PROJECT WILL ENABLE THE CAPACITY OF FUTURE GENERATIONS, INCLUDING STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES, TO EFFECTIVELY CAPTURE THE RAPID ADVANCES IN DIGITAL AND PRECISION AGRICULTURE FOR SUSTAINABLE, AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC GROWTH. TRAINING IN THIS AREA WILL HENCE RESULT IN IMPROVED USE OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE TOOLS TO ENHANCE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND REDUCE ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN BARRIERS TO INTEGRATING THESE TOOLS INTO PRACTICAL DECISION MAKING BY PRODUCERS.