** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE JULIAN SAMORA RESEARCH INSTITUTE (JSRI) AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND MICHIGAN FOOD AND FARMING SYSTEMS (MIFFS) ARE PARTNERING ON LATINO FARMERS AND THE ADOPTION OF TECHNOLOGY (LAFAT) PROJECT, A PIONEERING, BILINGUAL INTEGRATED PROJECT (RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION) AIMED AT INTEGRATING SMALL-SCALE LATINO FARMERS IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN INTO THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY THROUGH RESEARCH, EXTENSION ACTIVITIES, AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS CENTERED ON THE ADOPTION OF APPROPRIATE AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY. THE PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE AFRI RFA STRATEGIC GOALS 2, 4, AND 7, AND IS SUBMITTED UNDER THE SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMS PRIORITY AREA OF THE AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES PROGRAM. IT PROMOTES DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION BY FOCUSING ON UNDERSERVED PRODUCERS AND WILL INCLUDE A FOCUS ON THE IMPACT OF THE SARS-COV2 PANDEMIC (COVID-19) ON FARMERS. THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALLOCATES FUNDING AS FOLLOWS: APPROXIMATELY 35% RESEARCH, 50% EXTENSION, AND 15% EDUCATION. THE ADOPTION OF APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY WILL ASSIST SMALL-SCALE LATINO FARMERS IMPROVE THEIR PROFITABILITY, SUSTAINING THEIR FARMING OPERATIONS, STRENGTHEN LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS, AND CONTRIBUTE TO FARMERS' AND THEIR COMMUNITIES' QUALITY OF LIFE.OUR PROJECT IS FRAMED WITHIN THE SOCIAL CAPITAL PARADIGM. WHILE THERE ARE MANY DEFINITIONS OF THE CONCEPT SOCIAL CAPITAL DEPENDING ON THE DISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE, IN ITS SIMPLEST FORM IT CONSISTS OF RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN NETWORKS THAT FACILITATE COOPERATION AMONG THE MEMBERS. IT IS EMBEDDED IN NETWORKS THAT CAN HAVE BOTH STRONG AND WEAK TIES AMONG MEMBERS AND ACROSS NETWORKS THEMSELVES.