**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SMALL AND VERY SMALL MEAT PROCESSORS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THE ECONOMIC FABRIC OF THE UNITED STATES, WITH OVER 5,000 SUCH ESTABLISHMENTS CURRENTLY OPERATING UNDER FEDERAL JURISDICTION (I.E., INSPECTION), MAKING UP ~80% OF THE MEAT/POULTRY PROCESSING FACILITIES IN THE COUNTRY, WITH AT LEAST THAT MANY ADDITIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS OPERATING UNDER STATE AND LOCAL JURISDICTIONS. MOST ARE IN SMALL COMMUNITIES AND TOWNS, PROVIDING LOCALLY-SOURCED FOOD, COMMUNITY-CENTERED EMPLOYMENT, AND SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TAX BASE. HOWEVER, RECENT REGULATORY CHANGES GOVERNING FULLY-COOKED, READY-TO-EAT (RTE) MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS HAVE CREATED A SIGNIFICANT BURDEN AND URGENT NEED FOR SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION AND TRAINING RESOURCES TO ENABLE THESE SMALL BUSINESSES TO CONTINUE PRODUCING MICROBIOLOGICALLY SAFE PRODUCTS, COMPLY WITH THE CHANGING REGULATIONS, AND SUSTAIN VIABLE BUSINESS OPERATIONS. SPECIFICALLY, THOSE CHANGES HAVE LAID OUT NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR HUMIDITY AS A CRITICAL CONTROL IN COOKING SYSTEMS, TO ENSURE SALMONELLA DESTRUCTION ON THE SURFACE OF RTE MEAT/POULTRY PRODUCTS. HOWEVER, AT PRESENT, NEARLY ALL SMALL AND VERY SMALL ESTABLISHMENTS ARE UNABLE TO MEET THE NEW REQUIREMENTS AND/OR DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY OR HOW TO IMPLEMENT THEM (GIVEN THAT THEY OFTEN LACK DEDICATED IN-HOUSE FOOD SAFETY PERSONNEL). SIMPLY PUT, NOT MEETING THESE NEW REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE ECONOMICALLY CATASTROPHIC FOR SMALL OR VERY SMALL MEAT AND POULTRY PROCESSORS. THIS PROJECT IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO GENERATE SCIENTIFIC DATA TO VALIDATE PROCESSES USED BY THESE FIRMS, TO TRANSLATE EXISTING AND NEW KNOWLEDGE VIA A BROAD EXTENSION/OUTREACH/TRAINING PROGRAM, AND TO DIRECTLY SUPPORT THE ONGOING EVOLUTION OF THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS AFFECTING SMALL AND VERY SMALL MEAT AND POULTRY PROCESSORS.THEREFORE, THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS INTEGRATED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECT IS TO PROVIDE SMALL AND VERY SMALL PROCESSORS, AND FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL MEAT INSPECTORS, WITH TOOLS TO SUPPORT REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, ENSURE PRODUCT SAFETY, AND SUSTAIN AND GROW VIABLE BUSINESS OPERATIONS. TO ACHIEVE THAT OVERALL GOAL, THE PROJECT PLAN ENTAILS: (1) QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION OF OVEN HUMIDITY MONITORING SOLUTIONS, (2) SALMONELLA-INOCULATED, PILOT-SCALE COOKING TRIALS, (3) COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING MATERIALS AND A SPREADSHEET TOOL FOR COMPUTING PROCESS LETHALITY, AND (4) DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL TRAINING RESOURCES FOR SMALL/VERY-SMALL MEAT PROCESSORS. THE OVERALL IMPACT WILL BE TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY OF SMALL AND VERY SMALL MEAT PROCESSORS, IMPROVE IMPLEMENTATION OF FUTURE REGULATORY CHANGES, AND IMPROVE PROTECTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH.