**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THERE IS MINIMAL INFORMATION AVAILABLE ABOUT THE GENETICS OF BACTERIA THAT CAUSE MAMMARY GLAND INFECTIONS IN DAIRY COWS, AND HOW THESE BACTERIA HAVE THE ABILITY TO CAUSE THESE INFECTIONS. THIS IS OF CONSIDERABLE INTEREST AS INFECTION OF THE MAMMARY GLAND IS A SIGNIFICANT ILLNESS FOR DAIRY COWS, DECREASES THE QUALITY OF MILK, AND CAUSES HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF LOSS TO DAIRY FARMERS IN THE USA ANNUALLY. WE HAVE NOTED A DISTINCT DIFFERENCE IN THE TYPES OF BACTERIA CAUSING MAMMARY GLAND INFECTIONS ON CONVENTIONAL VERSUS ORGANIC DAIRIES. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT THE DIFFERENCE IS DUE TO DIFFERENCES IN THE GENETICS OF THE BACTERIA IN THESE TWO DIFFERENT FARM ENVIRONMENTS. TO TEST THIS HYPOTHESIS, WE WILL SEQUENCE THE GENOMES OF BACTERIA FROM MAMMARY GLAND / MILK CULTURES ON CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANIC FARMS AND CHARACTERIZE THE BACTERIA IN THE FARM ENVIRONMENT ON THESE TWO TYPES OF FARMS. WE EXPECT TO FIND (1) DIFFERENCES IN THE GENETIC MAKEUP OF THE BACTERIA CAUSING MAMMARY GLAND INFECTIONS ON CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANIC FARMS, (2) DIFFERENCES IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL BACTERIA BETWEEN THE TWO TYPES OF FARMS, AND (3) THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MILK PATHOGENS AND ENVIRONMENTAL BACTERIA WILL CORRELATE WITH EACH OTHER. OUR COMPLETED WORK WILL IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE EVOLUTION OF BACTERIA ON DIFFERENT FARMS AND HOW THESE BACTERIA CHANGE TO IMPACT THE HEALTH OF THE PRODUCING COWS AND THE QUALITY OF THEIR MILK. THE DATA WE GENERATE COULD BE USED TO GENERATE GUIDELINES FOR FARMERS TO HELP DECREASE MAMMARY GLAND INFECTIONS AND IMPROVE THE FARM ENVIRONMENT, THUS IMPROVING ANIMAL HEALTH AND MILK QUALITY, AND MITIGATING FINANCIAL LOSS.