**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** RIO GRANDE WATERS ARE THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF IRRIGATION FOR SOUTH TEXAS AND RECHARGED WITH CHEMICALS OF EMERGING CONCERN FROM BINATIONAL SOURCES OF RECYCLED WATERS AND SEWAGE OUTFALLS. ALTHOUGH THIS IS UNIQUE TO BORDER REGIONS, ELEVATED CONTAMINANT LEVELS WILL BECOME SIMILAR IN THE U.S. WITH INCREASING WATER DEFICITS, AND BORDER REGION CROPS ARE DISTRIBUTED NATIONALLY FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO ASSESS THE CONTRIBUTION OF RECYCLED WATER TO ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE IN AGRICULTURAL FIELDS AND TO MITIGATE SOIL AND CROP CONTAMINATION USING PLANT BENEFICIAL BACTERIA TO DEGRADE ANTIMICROBIALS. ULTIMATELY, THIS WORK WILL OFFER INSIGHTS INTO STRATEGIES FOR PROTECTING HUMAN HEALTH FROM LONG-TERM RISKS OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE ASSOCIATED WITH REUSED IRRIGATION WATER IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION.