**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 MEDIUM-SIZED PRODUCERS ARE FACING AN UNPRECEDENTED COMBINATION OF CHALLENGES: ECONOMY-WIDE SHOCKS AND MARKET VOLATILITY, EXTREME WEATHER, AND THE AGING OF FARMERS. STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AND EXTENSION SERVICES HAVE PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF VULNERABLE BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS (BFRS) AND FEMALE FARMERS. YET, THE RESEARCH TO HELP DESIGN AND IMPROVE SUCH INITIATIVES AND TO HELP BFRS TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE IS BOTH LIMITED AND DATED.OUR RESEARCH WILL HELP BFRS IN THE SOUTHEAST, A REGION WITH HIGHER THAN AVERAGE PROPORTION OF BFRS, TO SURVIVE AND TO PROSPER BY IMPROVING EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY AND LOWERING BARRIERS TO ENTRY. WE RESPOND TO THE PRIORITY REQUESTING DEVELOPMENT OF NEW RESEARCH MODELS TO ENHANCE ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMSAND LEARNING HOW LIMITED ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES AFFECTS SUSTAINABILITY.WE WILL CREATE FARM-LEVEL PANEL DATASETS FROM THE CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE AND OTHER SOURCES TO IDENTIFY THE TRADITIONAL (SUB-)SECTORS AND EMERGING NICHES ATTRACTING BFRS IN THE SOUTHEAST. APPLYING SURVIVAL ANALYSIS, WE WILL IDENTIFY HOW SOCIO-ECONOMIC, MARKET, AND CLIMATE VARIABLES, GOVERNMENT SUPPORT, AND ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AFFECT THE SURVIVAL OF BFRS WITHIN SUB-GROUPS. NOVEL PRODUCTIVITY ANALYSIS WILL INFORM BFRS' STRATEGIES FOR SCALING UP AND DIVERSIFICATION OF PRODUCTION. RESULTS INCORPORATED INTO JOURNAL ARTICLES AND POLICY BRIEFS WILL INFORM STAKEHOLDERS HOW GOVERNMENT SUPPORT (INCLUDING MEDICARE EXPANSION) IMPROVES ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY. BESIDES ANALYZING SECONDARY DATA, WE WILL COLLECT AND ANALYZE DATA FROM OUR OWN SURVEY TO DIRECTLY REVEAL THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING THOSE SPECIFIC TO WOMEN BFRS.