** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** A LARGE BODY OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH HAS DEMONSTRATED HOW CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (CSAPS) CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE OF US FARMERS. HOWEVER, ADOPTION OF CSAPS REMAINS EXTREMELY LOW, AND RESULTS FROM CONTROLLED TRIALS HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO REPRODUCE ON WORKING FARMS. BUILDING ON EXTENSIVE INPUT FROM FARMERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WE WILL BUILD A NESTED TRANSDISCIPLINARY PLATFORM WHERE FARMERS, SCIENTISTS, AND PARTNERS WILL CO-PRODUCE THE KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED TO ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION OF PLACE-BASED CSAPS IN MIDWESTERN CROPPING SYSTEMS LEADING TO REDUCED GHG EMISSIONS AND INCREASED CARBON SEQUESTRATION, CLIMATE RESILIENCE, AND FARM VIABILITY. THE CORE (TIER 1) IS A NETWORK OF LOCAL NODES IN EACH STATE WHERE FARMERS WILL LEAD THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ON-FARM RESEARCH TO ADDRESS CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE AND PERFORMANCE GAPS. WE WILL ALSO ENGAGE KEY LOCAL ACTORS (TIER 2) TO IDENTIFY THE OUTCOMES REQUIRED TO GAIN THEIR SUPPORT FOR FARMER CSAP USE. FINALLY, WE WILL COLLABORATE WITH NATIONAL ACTORS (TIER 3) TO ENSURE OUR WORK CAN BENEFIT EFFORTS TO REFORM POLICIES AND DESIGN MARKET MECHANISMS TO INCENTIVIZE USE OF CSAPS AND PROVIDE CARBON SEQUESTRATION AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES. WE WILL WORK IN OHIO AND MISSOURI, MAJOR FARM STATES WITH DIVERSE BIOPHYSICAL CONTEXTS WHERE THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON CSAP PERFORMANCE CAN BE COMPARED ACROSS TIME AND SPACE. OUR PROJECT WILL FULLY INTEGRATE RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES BY FACILITATING PEER-TO-PEER AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND INCREASING PARTICIPATION IN STEM BY UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY STUDENTS AT EACH TIER OF RESEARCH ACTIVITY. FARMERCO-DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH DESIGNS, EXTENSION PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES WILL ENSURE GREATER OWNERSHIP AND TRUST IN DATA AND PRODUCTS DEVELOPED BY THE PROJECT. WE WILL ALSO ASSESS WHETHER A DEEPLY COLLABORATIVE AND FARMER-LED APPROACH CHANGES CSAP ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS.