**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** AGRONOMIC TOOLS ARE NEEDED TO FACILITATE THE TRANSITION FROM CONVENTIONAL TO ORGANIC FARMING. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF OUR PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP CEREAL-PULSE INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS UNDER LOW WATER AVAILABILITIES FOR ENHANCING AGROECOSYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY AND PRODUCTIVITY DURING THE TRANSITION TO ORGANIC FARMING AND THEREAFTER. A THREE-YEAR FIELD EXPERIMENT DURING ORGANIC TRANSITION AND TRIALS ON GROWER-COLLABORATOR ORGANIC FARMS WILL IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE EFFECTS OF CEREAL-PEA INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS ON CROP PRODUCTIVITY, SOIL HEALTH AND FERTILITY, GREENHOUSE GAS MITIGATION, AND ENHANCED DIVERSITY OF CROPS AND SOIL MICROBES UNDER WELL-WATERED AND DROUGHT-STRESSED CONDITIONS. THE RESULTS WILL PROVIDE DIRECT EVIDENCE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CEREAL-PEA INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS TO SUPPLY A SUBSTANTIAL SOURCE OF BIOLOGICALLY FIXED NITROGEN, MITIGATE NITROUS OXIDE AND METHANE GAS FLUX, AND INCREASE CROP AND MICROBIAL DIVERSITY. SUCH RESULTS ARE PRESENTLY SPARSE IN THE PEER-REVIEWED LITERATURE. NET RETURNS AND PROFIT RISK PROFILES FOR EACH CROPPING SYSTEM WILL BE ESTIMATED USING FIELD-LEVEL INPUT USAGE AND YIELD DATA AS WELL AS MARKET PRICES. FINDINGS FROM THE PROJECT WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC THROUGH PUBLICATIONS, AN INTERCROPPING WEBSITE, WORKSHOPS, ON-FARM FIELD DAYS, AND PRESENTATIONS AT OTHER EXTENSION EVENTS. GROWERS FROM OTHER REGIONS WILL BE INVITED TO ATTEND ANNUAL WORKSHOPS AND MEETINGS WITH A FOCUS ON INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS, AFTER WHICH THEY CAN ACT AS ADVISORS OR CONSULTANTS IN THEIR OWN REGIONS. TO EDUCATE NEXT-GENERATION SCIENTISTS, UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS WILL BE RECRUITED, AND PROJECT RESULTS WILL BE INCLUDED IN UNIVERSITY COURSEWORK AND INTRODUCED TO MIDDLE-SCHOOL AGRICULTURAL TEACHERS FOR THEIR CURRICULUM.