** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** RECENT MULTIPLE SHOCKS (E.G., COVID-19 COMBINED WITH CLIMATE SHOCKS AND FOODBORNE PATHOGENS) HAVE REVEALED CRITICAL VULNERABILITIES OF AGRI-FOOD SYSTEMS. THESE SHOCKS UNIQUELY CHALLENGE LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS, MANY OF WHICH PRODUCE, PROCESS, AND DISTRIBUTE FOOD PRODUCTS CRITICAL TO THE FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SECURITY OF THE US POPULATION. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO BUILD LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS THAT ARE RESILIENT TO MULTIPLE SHOCKS. THIS GOAL WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH NINE INTERRELATED OBJECTIVES. OBJECTIVES 1-3 EVALUATE KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF SUPPLY CHAINS, IMPACTS OF HISTORICAL AND PROJECTED SHOCKS, AND ALTERNATIVE MITIGATION/ADAPTATION STRATEGIES. OBJECTIVES 4-5 CENTER ON INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS MODELING, SIMULATION, AND DECISION SUPPORT USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. OBJECTIVE 6 EXAMINES THE IMPACT OF SHOCKS AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES ON FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY, PARTICULARLY AMONG VULNERABLE US POPULATIONS. OBJECTIVES 7-8 APPLY NOVEL RESEARCH FINDINGS TO EXTENSION AND EDUCATION. OBJECTIVE 9 PROMOTES A HOLISTIC INTEGRATION OF RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION TO INSPIRE FUTURISTIC, EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS TO POLICYMAKERS AND STAKEHOLDERS. THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN FUNDAMENTAL INSIGHTS AND KNOWLEDGE SURROUNDING THE EFFECTS OF MULTIPLE SHOCKS ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS AS WELL AS A SUITE OF MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND DECISION-MAKING, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATIONAL TOOLS. THESE RESULTS WILL FILL CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE GAPS IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO BUILD MORE RESILIENT LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS, EMPOWER STAKEHOLDERS (ESPECIALLY DISADVANTAGED AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES) TO MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO MULTIPLE SHOCKS, AND DEVELOP A NEW AND DIVERSE WORKFORCE THAT SUPPORTS AGRI-FOOD RESILIENCE. ULTIMATELY, THE PROJECT WILL LEAD TO MORE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE AGRI-FOOD SYSTEMS THAT IMPROVE FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SECURITY, PROSPERITY, AND WELL-BEING IN THE MIDWEST U.S. AND BEYOND.