** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** OUR PROJECT FOCUSES ON THREE, TIGHTLY INTERRELATED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION OBJECTIVES. WORKING ON HIGHLY-DIVERSE FARMS WITH INTEGRATED POULTRY, WE PROPOSE TO: (1) DETAIL CHICKENS' FEEDING ON PEST AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS, AND WEEDS, THROUGH MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF DIETARY-DNA REMAINS IN CHICKEN FECES, AND HOW THIS IS INFLUENCED BY FARMING SYSTEM AND TIME OF YEAR, (2) INFER LIKELY SOURCES OF CHICKEN EXPOSURE TO SALMONELLA AND CAMPYLOBACTER BACTERIA USING WHOLE-GENOME PATHOGEN SEQUENCING AND LANDSCAPE MODELING, AND (3) QUANTIFY THE BIRDS' NET IMPACTS ON ARTHROPODS, WEEDS, AND SOILS, THROUGH ON-FARM CHICKEN EXCLUSION EXPERIMENTS. OUR CHICKEN DINNER RESEARCH AND OUTREACH EFFORT WILL RECRUIT GROWER CITIZEN-SCIENTISTS FROM ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. TO SUBMIT SAMPLES FROM THEIR OWN PASTURED FLOCKS FOR COMPLETE DIET ANALYSIS, SO THEY CAN LEARN EXACTLY WHICH PESTS AND WEEDS THEIR CHICKENS ARE EATING. OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE GROWERS WITH PRACTICAL TOOLS TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS OF PASTURED CHICKENS, WHILE MINIMIZING ANY DANGERS, AS PART OF WHOLE-FARM PLANNING.