** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE RHODE ISLAND AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (AFSFP) REQUESTS $749,950 TO FUND AND MENTOR 10 STUDENTS/YEAR AT A RATIO OF 1 MENTOR/STUDENT/YEAR (43 WEEKS) FOR FOUR YEARS (A TOTAL OF 40 STUDENTS) WITH A ONE YEAR PLANNING PHASE TO BEGIN THE PROGRAM. THE RHODE ISLAND AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (AFSFP) WILL PROVIDE FUNDED, YEAR-LONG EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION, FOOD AND NUTRITION TRANSLATION, AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE POLICY LEADERSHIP TO STUDENTS ENROLLED AT UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND (URI) AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF RHODE ISLAND (CCRI). THE AFSFP WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF FACULTY AT URI AND CCRI, AND EXTENSION FACULTY AND STAFF AT URI WITH EXPERIENCE AND COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS INTERESTED IN PURSUING AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEM-RELATED CAREERS. A CORNERSTONE OF THE PROGRAM FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING MENTORS, WILL BE TRAINING IN JUSTICE, EQUITY,DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AS IT RELATES TO THE FOOD SYSTEM AND COMMUNITY AND INDIVIDUAL WELL-BEING. THE PROGRAM WILL INCORPORATE A MULTI-FACETED SUITE OF TRAINING IN LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, INCLUSIVE SCIENCE COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY-LED ENGAGEMENT, INDUSTRY-LED TRAINING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND POLICY PRACTICE THROUGH INTERN- AND EXTERNSHIPS. AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF THE PROGRAM IS AN EXTENSION PRACTICUM THAT INCORPORATES NEAR PEER TEAMS OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS AND AFS FELLOWS, WHO DESIGN AND DELIVER IN-SCHOOL, AGRICULTURE SCIENCE-BASED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING WITH SUPPORT FROM URI EXTENSION 4H STAFF. THIS TIERED TRAINING AND ENGAGEMENT MODEL BUILDS AN IMMEDIATE TALENT PIPELINE OF AGRICULTURAL PROFESSIONALS, AND ALSO SERVES TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO BUILD A SAFER, HEALTHIER, SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS. PRIMARY AFRI FARM BILLPRIORITY AREAS OF THE RHODE ISLAND AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (AFSFP) ARE:PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTSANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND ANIMAL PRODUCTSFOOD SAFETY, NUTRITION AND HEALTHBIOENERGY, NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAGRICULTURE SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGYMAIN FIELD(S) AND SUB-FIELD(S) OF THE RESEARCH AND/OR EXTENSION OF THE RHODE ISLAND AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (AFSFP) ARE:SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE INTENSIFICATION (URBAN AGRICULTURE, VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, AQUACULTURE, ANIMAL SCIENCE)FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION TRANSLATION (NUTRITION, FOOD SAFETY)AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE POLICY LEADERSHIP (FOOD SYSTEM POLICY, LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM ADVOCACY, FOOD EQUITY, FOOD JUSTICE)PERCENTAGE OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FROM THE HOST INSTITUTION:50%NUMBER OF WEEKS PER YEAR THAT THE STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE:30 WEEKS (TWO ACADEMIC SEMESTERS) + 13 WEEKS (JUNE-AUGUST) = 43 WEEKSRELEVANCE OF THE PROJECT THE GOALS OF REEU PROGRAM AREA:FELLOWSHIP GRADUATES WILL GAIN MANY SKILLS TRANSLATABLE TO A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE. FELLOWS WILL GAIN FACTUAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELDS OF PLANT SCIENCE AND ENTOMOLOGY, ANIMAL SCIENCE, NUTRITION, FOOD SCIENCE, POLICY, AND SCIENCE COMMUNICATION. WORKING ALONGSIDE MENTORS WILL ENHANCE FELLOWS' UNDERSTANDING OF THE A) RESEARCH PROCESS, INCLUDING HOW TO DEVELOP HYPOTHESES, DESIGN EXPERIMENTS AND COLLECT DATA; AND B) EXTENSION PROGRAM DELIVERY AND EVALUATION, INCLUDING HOW TO DESIGN EFFECTIVE EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMING, FORM COMMUNITY-LED PARTNERSHIPS AND EVALUATE PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS. CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH OTHER FELLOWS IN THEIR COHORT, THEIR FELLOWSHIP MENTORS, INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND OTHER EXPERTS THEY GAIN ACCESS TO THROUGH THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM, AND YOUTH COMMUNITIES WILL FOSTER DEVELOPMENT OF TEAMWORK, COMMUNICATION, AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS CRITICAL TO THE AGRICULTURE AND THE FOOD SYSTEM INDUSTRY.ALL UNDERGRADUATES WILL PARTICIPATE IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH FELLOWSHIPS WITH URI FACULTY AND STAFF MEMBERS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECTS. FELLOWS WILL WORK DIRECTLY WITH FACULTY AND STAFF EITHER IN LABORATORIES OR AT FIELD SITES TO CONDUCT RESEARCH. IN SOME INSTANCES, FELLOWS WILL COMPLETE EXTERNSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY AND/OR INDUSTRY PARTNERS. FELLOWS WILL ENGAGE THE PUBLIC THROUGH DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH PRACTICES, FINDINGS, DEMONSTRATIONS THROUGH ESTABLISHED URI EXTENSION MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION CHANNELS. TEACHING PRACTICUMS IN TITLE 1 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS WILL BE REQUIRED OF ALL FELLOWS AND WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN EXTENSION PROGRAM DELIVERY ALONGSIDE 4-H STAFF.THE RI AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM ADDRESSES THREE OF THE FIVE REEU-SPECIFIC THEMES: SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION, FOOD AND NUTRITION TRANSLATION, AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE POLICY LEADERSHIP. URI FACULTY AND STAFF AND COMMUNITY / INDUSTRY PARTNERS ACTIVELY WORKING IN EACH REEU AREA OF STUDY WILL SERVE AS YEAR-LONG MENTORS TO FOUR FELLOWSHIP COHORTS OF AT LEAST TEN STUDENTS EACH.INCLUSION OF A WIDE RANGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SYSTEMS RESEARCHERS, EXTENSION EDUCATORS AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS WILL ENSURE THAT FELLOWS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE A WIDE BREADTH OF RELEVANT FIELDS AND DISCIPLINES, AND ALSO EXAMINE THE INTRICACIES AND CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH FOOD EQUITY AND JUSTICE, LOCAL FOOD ECONOMIES, POLICY AND FOOD-RELATED SCIENCES. FELLOWS WILL ENGAGE IN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECTS UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A MENTOR AND FORM RELATIONSHIPS WITH KEY FACULTY AND STAFF MEMBERS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS AND COLLEGES. FELLOWS WILL SIMULTANEOUSLY PARTICIPATE IN MICROLECTURES AND FIELD VISITS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCOPE OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SYSTEM SCIENCES IN RHODE ISLAND AND INTRODUCE THEM TO COMMUNITY AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS TO BUILD NETWORKS THAT WILL SERVE THEM POST-COLLEGE. THIS AND INCLUSION OF EXTERNSHIPS WILL ALLOW FELLOWS TO SEE BEYOND THE WORLD OF ACADEMIA INTO THE BUSINESSES, AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS AT THE HEART OF THE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM MOVEMENT. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC, INDUSTRY AND PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS, HONING THEIR SCIENCE COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SKILLS.RELEVANCE OF THE PROJECT TO THE GOALS OF AFRI EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (EWD):THE RI AFSFP:WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT;ALIGNS WITH FIVE OF THE SIX USDA FARM BILL PRIORITY AREAS, INCLUDING:PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTSANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND ANIMAL PRODUCTSFOOD SAFETY, NUTRITION AND HEALTHBIOENERGY, NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAGRICULTURE SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGYTHE RHODE ISLAND AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (AFSFP) ALIGNS WITH SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE GOALS, INCLUDING:SATISFYING HUMAN FOOD AND FIBER NEEDS;ENHANCING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND THE NATURAL RESOURCE BASE UPON WHICH THE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY DEPENDS;MAKING THE MOST EFFICIENT USE OF NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES AND ON-FARM RESOURCES AND INTEGRATE, WHERE APPROPRIATE, NATURAL BIOLOGICAL CYCLES AND CONTROLS;SUSTAINING THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF FARM OPERATIONS; ANDENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR FARMERS AND SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.THE RHODE ISLAND AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (AFSFP) ALIGNS WITH USDA STRATEGIC GOALS:STRATEGIC GOAL 2: MAXIMIZE THE ABILITY OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS TO PROSPER BY FEEDING AND CLOTHING THE WORLD;STRATEGIC GOAL 3: PROMOTE AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND EXPORTS;STRATEGIC GOAL 4: FACILITATE RURAL PROSPERITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT;STRATEGIC GOAL 5: STRENGTHEN THE STEWARDSHIP OF PRIVATE LANDS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH;STRATEGIC GOAL 6: ENSURE PRODUCTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF OUR NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LANDS; ANDSTRATEGIC GOAL 7: PROVIDE ALL AMERICANS ACCESS TO A SAFE, NUTRITIOUS, AND SECURE FOOD SUPPLY.