**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** WITH RECENT ADVANCES IN FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY NEW GENERATION PLANT-BASED MEAT ALTERNATIVES (PBMAS) HAVE ATTRACTED INCREASING MARKET ATTENTION WITH MEAT-LIKE TEXTURE APPEARANCE NUTRITIONAL FACTS AROMA AND ESPECIALLY TASTE. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO COMPREHENSIVELY EVALUATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND REGULATORY CHALLENGES FOR PBMAS BY INTEGRATING RESEARCH INSIGHTS FROM THE CONSUMER MARKET AND PRODUCTION SECTORS OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN. SPECIFICALLY WE WILL LEVERAGE PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION RETAIL- AND HOUSEHOLD-LEVEL SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS AND SPATIAL DATA MODELING TO EVALUATE 1) CONSUMER PREFERENCES AND ADOPTION PATTERNS TOWARD PBMAS; 2) MARKET DEMAND PRICE ELASTICITY STATE-LEVEL LABELING POLICY AND COMPETITIONS BETWEEN PBMAS AND ANIMAL-BASED MEAT (ABM); AND 3) DOMESTIC SUPPLY RESPONSES TO PBMA DEMAND AND THEIR ASSOCIATED ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS. THE FINDINGS FROM THIS RESEARCH WILL FILL THE KNOWLEDGE GAP IN BOTH SUPPLY AND DEMAND SIDES OF PBMAS AND PROVIDE BASELINE INFORMATION TO SHAPE RELEVANT FOOD POLICIES. WE WILL ALSO WORK WITH THE USA DRY PEA AND LENTIL COUNCIL AND UPCYCLED FOOD ASSOCIATION TO EXTEND THE IMPACT OF THE RESEARCH TO RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS. WITH PROMISING BENEFITS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY PUBLIC HEALTH ANIMAL WELFARE AND WORKER PROTECTION PBMAS CAN BE A CREDIBLE SOLUTION TO DRIVE PEOPLE'S PROTEIN SOURCES TOWARD SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS. CORRESPONDINGLY THIS PROJECT WILL LEAD TO TIMELY AND COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION FOR BOTH THE PBMA AND ABM INDUSTRIES TO ASSESS THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF THE DIETARY TRANSITION TO PLANT-BASED PROTEINS.