THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE NAPB CONFERENCE IN AUGUST 2022 HOSTED BY ISU. THE CONFERENCE WILL INCLUDE SESSIONS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE STRATEGIC PLANS AND GOALS OF BOTH NAPB AND THE PLANT BREEDING COORDINATING COMMITTEE (PBCC) AS WELL AS COMMUNITY NEEDS, CHALLENGES, GAPS, AND EMERGING AREAS OF PLANT BREEDING RESEARCH. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE SESSION DURING THE 2022 NAPB CONFERENCE AIMS TO INCLUDE PRESENTATIONS RELATED TO "CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE: PLANT BREEDING AND CLIMATE CHANGE." THIS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO PBCC OBJECTIVE 4, "IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AMONG PUBLIC PLANT BREEDERS AND FEDERAL-STATE-LOCAL AGENCIES ON PLANT BREEDING POLICY ISSUES, INCLUDING ALERTS TO EXISTING AND EMERGING THREATS TO AGRICULTURAL SECURITY THAT ARE RELEVANT TO PLANT BREEDING". OUR TARGET AUDIENCE IS GRADUATE STUDENTS IN PLANT SCIENCES AND SUPPORTING INDUSTRIES, PLANT BREEDERS IN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL SECTORS, AND INSPIRING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TO CONSIDER CAREERS IN PLANT BREEDING AREAS. IN DEVELOPING OUR PROGRAM, WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO BALANCE SPEAKING SLOTS TO ENSURE EQUAL REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN, AND TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES AND EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS. MEETINGS SUCH AS THESE PRESENT EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS AND EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS TO MIX WITH ESTABLISHED FACULTY AND A BROAD ARRAY OF INDUSTRY BREEDERS. THE FORMAT WILL HIGHLIGHT THE OPPORTUNITIES IN PLANT BREEDING FIELDS FOR STUDENTS.THE NAPB CONFERENCES CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION AND DIVERSITY OF ATTENDEES. PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE AND IMPACT OF PLANT BREEDING IS ENHANCED, WHICH IN TURN SUPPORTS INNOVATION AND THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO ADVANCE AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY.