THIS PROJECT WILL SUPPORT THE COALITION FOR GRAIN FIBER (CGF) CONFERENCE IN FEBRUARY 2024 IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HARD WINTER WHEAT AND HARD RED SPRING WHEAT QUALITY COUNCIL IN OLATHE, KANSAS. THE CGF 2024 CONFERENCE WILL INCLUDE PRESENTATIONS RELATED TO TOOLS TO COMBAT THE GLOBAL CHRONIC ILLNESS EPIDEMIC BY INCREASING THE DIETARY FIBER CONTENT OF WHITE AND WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR AND METHODS TO SUCCESSFULLY SELECT AND CHARACTERIZE NEW BREEDING MATERIALS. THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS CONFERENCE ARE 1) DESCRIBE TOOLS, METHODS, AND METRICS AVAILABLE FOR OPTIMIZING SELECTION OF INCREASED FIBER IN WHEAT, 2) IDENTIFY CHALLENGES, GAPS, AND EMERGING AREAS OF RESEARCH CONNECTING THE PLANT BREEDING AND FOOD RESEARCH COMMUNITIES 3) DEVELOP A WHITE PAPER DESCRIBING METHODS AND CRITERIA TO INCREASE GRAIN FIBER FOR HUMAN HEALTH AND ADDRESS GOALS 4, 5, 2, AND 1 OF THE CURRENT USDA STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR JOINT DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE PLANT BREEDING AND END-USE QUALITY WHEAT COMMUNITIES WILL DEFINE THE SHARED INTERESTS OF THE CGF, THE BROADER WHEAT SUPPLY CHAIN, AND OBJECTIVES OF THE USDA'S AND OUR GLOBAL PARTNERS, CIMMYT'S (A MEMBER OF CGIAR), STRATEGIC PLANS TO REDUCE POVERTY, HUNGER, AND NEGATIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES RELATED TO DIET. THE OUTCOMES OF THIS MEETING ARE DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO THE AFRI PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY PLANT BREEDING FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION (A1141), TO DETERMINE HOW AN INCREASED FOCUS ON WHEAT NUTRIENT TRAITS, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO DIETARY FIBER, CAN BE BENEFICIAL FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS--AND THE HURDLES, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO END USE QUALITY, TO ACHIEVING THAT VISION.