**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** LIVESTOCK FARMING IS AT A CROSSROADS, ITS SUSTAINABLE FUTURE CHALLENGED BY COMPETING INTERESTS FOR LIMITED RESOURCES AND URGENT NEED TO MITIGATE ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE FOOTPRINTS, AMID A RAPIDLY GROWING GLOBAL DEMAND FOR ANIMAL PROTEIN. ONE VIABLE SOLUTION OVERLOOKED, IS TO LEVERAGE THE INNATE ABILITY OF ANIMALS AS NATURE'S MOST EFFECTIVE RECYCLERS, ABLE TO UTILIZE A WIDE VARIETY OF PLANT BIOMASS MATERIALS AS FEED RESOURCES IN PRODUCING MEATS, MILK, AND EGGS. THIS PROJECT WILL DEPLOY AN INNOVATIVE SEQUENTIAL FERMENTATION APPROACH TO CREATE NOVEL FEEDS FOR DAIRY COWS USING FOOD WASTE OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE DISCARDS AND POST-HARVEST CROP RESIDUES SUCH AS WHEAT STRAW AND SPENT MUSHROOM SUBSTRATES, ABUNDANTLY AVAILABLE BUT CURRENTLY WASTED OR LANDFILLED. FIRST, TREATMENT OF CROP RESIDUE BIOMASS WILL PROCEED WITH SELECTED FUNGAL STRAINS ABLE TO ALTER LIGNIN-CELLULOSE COMPLEXES THROUGH AEROBIC FERMENTATION TO ENHANCE NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY, THEN COMBINING FRUIT AND VEGETABLE WASTES FOR BACTERIA-DRIVEN ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION TO CREATE SAFE NUTRITIONALLY ENHANCED NOVEL FEEDS (OBJECTIVE 1). FERMENTED NOVEL FEEDS WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO COW DIETS; MILK PRODUCTION, RUMEN MICROBIOTA AND ENTERIC METHANE EMISSIONS DETERMINED (OBJECTIVE 2). BROADER IMPACTS RESULTING FROM NOVEL FEEDS PARTIALLY SUBSTITUTING CONVENTIONAL FEED INGREDIENTS, IN TERMS OF RESOURCES SPARED AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AVOIDED, WILL BE QUANTITATIVELY ASSESSED (OBJECTIVE 3). INTERWOVEN WITH INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH ARE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES WITH CLASSROOM LEARNING, RESEARCH IMMERSION, AND HANDS-ON PROBLEM-SOLVING AND OPPORTUNITY-FINDING ON SELECTED DAIRY FARMS (OBJECTIVE 4). THIS PROJECT WILL GENERATE GROUNDBREAKING SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION TO ADVANCE TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, AND PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR REDUCING FARMING COSTS AND IMPROVING AGRI-FOOD SYSTEM EFFICIENCY. THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES THE PRIORITY TOPICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SYNERGIES OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION FOR REDUCED EMISSIONS TO THE ATMOSPHERE AND HYDROSPHERE UNDER PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY A1261 INTER-DISCIPLINARY ENGAGEMENT IN ANIMAL SYSTEMS (IDEAS).