THE 2018 FARM BILL, WHICH LEGALIZED THE COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION AND PROCESSING OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP, PROVIDES NEW ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM FARMS. FOR MANY FARMSTODAY, THEIR MAJOR VALUE CONTINUES TO BE IN EXTRACTING ESSENTIAL CANNABINOID OILS FROM SEEDS, LEAVES, AND FLOWERS, PRINCIPALLY CANNABIDIOL (CBD). HOWEVER, FUTURE REALIZATION OF BROAD PROFITABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE EMERGING INDUSTRIAL HEMP INDUSTRY WILL CRITICALLY DEPEND ON DIRECTED RESEARCH TO DEVELOP PRACTICAL AND IMPLEMENTATION-READY INDUSTRIAL HEMP HYBRID OILSEED AND FIBER CULTIVARS TO EXTRACT MORE ESSENTIAL OILS AND UTILIZE BIOMASS IN BIOCOMPOSITES, GROUND COVERS, AND PACKAGING. AN INCREASE IN MARKET DIVERSIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES OF THIS NEW CROP HAS A POTENTIAL TO MITIGATE ECONOMIC RISKS AND INCREASE FARM INCOME.IN SUMMARY, THE PROJECT GOALS ARE TO BUILD A CENTRALIZED KNOWLEDGE BASE TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABLE USES OF THE WHOLE INDUSTRIAL HEMP PLANT THROUGH A PILOT GROWTH OPERATION OF HYBRID CULTIVAR AND SUBSEQUENT MANUFACTURING OF HEMP-DERIVED PRODUCTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INDUSTRY TO SERVE SMALL AND MEDIUM US FARMS. SPECIFICALLY, WE WILL ENGAGE IN CONCERTED EFFORTS TO CO-ENGINEER HEMP CROPS AND PRODUCTS TO SYNTHESIZE A UNIFIED, INTERACTIVE LEARNING ECOSYSTEM. OUR VISION IS PERFECTLY ALIGNED WITH NIFA'S STRATEGIC GOAL FOR THE SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED FARMS PROGRAM BY ADVANCING HEMP PRODUCTION IN BIOCHEMICALS AND BIOPRODUCTS TO ENHANCE ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY. THE PROJECT OUTCOMES WILL BE SHARED WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS AT FIELD DAYS/REGIONAL MEETINGS TO GUIDE COMMERCIALIZATION OF OUR APPLICATIONS AS WELL AS CONTRIBUTE TO THE BUSINESS AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS FOR THE FUTURE INDUSTRIAL HEMP INDUSTRY IN THE US.