**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 LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO RELEASE TWO PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DRY BEAN CULTIVARS FROM TWO DISTINCT MARKET CLASSES (BLACK AND NAVY) ADAPTED TO MICHIGAN AND THE UPPER MIDWEST THAT APPEAL TO FARMERS AND BEAN CANNERS.THE KEY EVALUATION CHARACTERISITICS INCLUDE YIELD, CANNING QUALITY, DISEASE RESISTANCE, APPROPRIATE MATURITY, AND UNIFORM DRY DOWN.IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO ACHEIVE EXCEPTIONAL AGRONOMIC AND END USE QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS IN THE SAME CULTIVAR. THIS PROJECT WILL INCORPORATE GENOMIC PREDICTION STRATEGIES TO HELP IMPROVE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCES. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH FARMERS AND INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS IN CULTIVAR SELECTION FOR RELEASE TO INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF ADOPTION. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PROPOSAL ARE 1) IMPLEMENT GENOMIC-ASSISTED BREEDING TOOLS TO JOINTLY PREDICT TOP YIELDING AND CANNING QUALITY BREEDING LINES IN TWO DRY BEAN MARKET CLASSES; 2) TEST, PREDICT, AND IDENTIFY ONE COMPETITIVE DRY BEAN CULTIVAR FROM BOTH DRY BEAN MARKET CLASSES ACROSS YEARS AND LOCATIONS; AND 3) RELEASE AND DELIVER CULTIVAR PERFORMANCE RESULTSAND CHARACTERISTICS AND PROMOTE THE BENEFITS OF NEW RELEASED CULTIVARS TO STAKEHOLDERS AND CLIENTELE.