**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** ADEQUATE CLEAN WATER IS ESSENTIAL FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION. LIVESTOCK TYPICALLY DRINK FROM PONDS, WHICH CAN BE UNRELIABLE DURING DROUGHTS, SUMMER MONTHS OR WHEN IMPAIRED BY AQUATIC WEEDS, ESPECIALLY HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS (HABS). HABS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO INDUCE TOXIN PRODUCTION, PARTICULARLY MICROCYSTINS. MICROCYSTINS ARE CYANOTOXINS THAT HAVE A PERILOUS IMPACT ON LIVESTOCK HEALTH WHEN THE LIVESTOCK CONSUME OR ARE EXPOSED TO POND WATER. CURRENTLY, WHEN LIVESTOCK FARMERS ENCOUNTER HABS, THEY RELY ON EXTENSION AGENTS TO GUIDE THEM IN MANAGING LIVESTOCK AND THE WATER RESOURCES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE OPERATIONS. OFTENTIMES, THE AGENTS DIRECT THE FARMERS TO SEND WATER SAMPLES TO AN ANALYTICAL LAB AND GET THEM TESTED FOR MICROCYSTINS. IT TAKES CONSIDERABLE TIME TO GET BACK THE RESULTS WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS ON THE LIVESTOCK OPERATION IN THE MEANTIME. THROUGH A CURRENT USDA SARE GRANT, THE PI OF THIS PROJECT LEARNED FROM THE FARMERS THE NEED FOR AN ON-SITE SENSOR THAT COULD ACCURATELY DETECT MICROCYSTINS. CURRENTLY, TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, NO ON-SITE RAPID SENSING IS AVAILABLE TO ACCURATELY QUANTIFY MICROCYSTINS IN WATER. BY COLLABORATING WITH AN EXPERT IN PIEZOELECTRIC (PZT) AND BIOSENSING DEVICE FABRICATION AND TESTING, WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A LAB-ON-A-CHIP PIEZOELECTRIC (PZT) CANTILEVERS-BASED SENSOR TO TEST AND QUANTIFY MICROCYSTINS ON-SITE. THE SENSOR WILL BE RIGOROUSLY TESTED USING WATER SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM LIVESTOCK PONDS. THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES ONE OF THE PROGRAM AREA PRIORITIES LISTED IN THE RFA-ENGINEERING FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS.