** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** MODERN AGRICULTURE IS UNSUSTAINABLE. THE BACTERIA THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LEGUME NODULES AND CROPS SUCH AS SOYBEAN CAN BE A BIG CONTRIBUTION TO SOLVING THIS PROBLEM. BACTERIA PROVIDE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE THE PROVISIONING OF NUTRIENTS TO PLANTS THAT WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE AVAILABLE. MANAGING THE MICROBES CORRECTLY WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE NEED FORSYNTHETIC NITROGEN APPLICATION (SYN) APPLICATIONS. SYN IS A HUGE CONTRIBUTOR TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING THE POLLUTION OF WATERWAYS AND GROUNDWATER AS WELL AS INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF CLIMATE WARMING GASES IN THE ATMOSPHERE. THE RESEARCH THUS WILL HELP THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY BETTER FEED THE WORLD MORE SUSTAINABLY. MICROBES ASSOCIATED WITH CROPS AND ALL TYPES OF PLANTS CAN BE VIEWED AS SERVING THE METAPHORICAL EQUIVALENT OF GUT BACTERIA THAT ALLOW THE SURVIVAL OF ANIMALS SUCH AS HUMANS. THE RESEARCH OUTCOMES THUS HAVE HUGE IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIETY.