**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY THAT HAVE EXPANDED THE CAPACITY TO CAPTURE AND SHARE DATA IN A DIGITAL FORMAT ARE TRANSFORMING AGRICULTURE BY INFORMING CROP PRODUCTION DECISION-MAKING. THE SCALE AND PACE OF THIS BIG DATA REVOLUTION STRAINS THE TRADITIONAL CIRCUIT OF KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER BETWEEN RESEARCHERS AND PRODUCERS VIA EXTENSION DUE TO THE PRODUCERS' NEED FOR RAPID DATA ANALYTICS AND REAL-TIME RECOMMENDATIONS. IN ADDITION TO THE TRADITIONAL DEMAND FOR INFORMATION CRITICAL TO CROP PRODUCTIVITY AND ECONOMICS, BOTH PRODUCERS AND BROADER SOCIETY NOW HAVE AN INTEREST IN METRICS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. INCORPORATING THE CONCEPT OF TRANSLATION AND DEMONSTRATION IN A DIGITAL FORMAT PRESENTS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES TO BETTER INCORPORATE QUESTIONS, NEEDS, AND FEEDBACK FROM PRODUCERS, POLICYMAKERS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS INTO AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AGENDAS. WE WILL DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ON CROPS AND TECHNOLOGY FOR AGRICULTURE (DIRECT4AG). THE DIRECT4AG PLATFORM WILL DEMONSTRATE ON-FARM HOW SENSORS, NOVEL GENETICS, AND DATA ANALYTICS CAN PROVIDE RICH DATASETS, WHICH WILL BETTER INFORM DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS FOR ENHANCING THE EFFICIENCY OF MAIZE PRODUCTION. THE DATA AND CAPABILITIES OF DIRECT4AG WILL ENABLE INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO DELIVERING DIGITAL AGRICULTURE TO BOTH LARGE-SCALE FARMS IN THE MIDWEST CORN BELT AND TO LIMITED-RESOURCE, SMALL-SCALE AND SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS WITHIN THE BLACK BELT COUNTIES IN ALABAMA. THE PLATFORM DESIGN AND FUNCTION WILL BE TESTED USING ACTIVE RESEARCH MONITORING WATER USE AND AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR MAIZE PRODUCTION. THESE INITIAL PROJECTS WILL EXPAND AS THE PLATFORM IS VALIDATED TO INCLUDE MORE DIVERSE AREAS. OVERALL, THE DIRECT4AG PLATFORM WILL ESTABLISH AN EFFICIENT FEEDBACK LOOP THAT TRANSFORMS THE CONCEPT OF COOPERATIVE EXTENSION FOR THE ERA OF DIGITAL AGRICULTURE, ENABLING IT TO EVOLVE AND KEEP PACE WITH THE EVER-CHANGING ADVANCEMENTS IN RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY.