SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARM VIABILITY AND FARMER WELLBEING RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROGRAMMING IS TYPICALLY BASED ON DATA FROM FARMERS WHO HAVE PERSISTED IN FARMING. BY NEGLECTING THE EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXITED EARLY, CURRENT RESEARCH SKEWS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF FARM VIABILITY AND FARMER WELLBEING. THIS INTEGRATED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECT ADDRESSES THESE CHALLENGES THROUGH (1) AN INTERVIEW-BASED RESEARCH STUDY WITH EARLY-EXIT FARMERS, AND (2) FARMER AND TRAIN-THE-TRAINER EXTENSION PROGRAMMING AND DELIVERABLES. THROUGH RIGOROUS QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN AND RESPONSIVE EXTENSION ENGAGEMENT, THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES NEGLECTED ISSUES OF FARM VIABILITY AND FARMER WELLBEING. RESEARCH RESULTS WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO EXTENSION CURRICULUM AND RESOURCES, AND BY THE PROJECT'S CONCLUSION THE TEAM WILL DELIVER FARMER EDUCATION AND SERVICE PROVIDER PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT THAT ADDRESS BUSINESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERNS THAT AFFECT PERSISTENCE AND EARLY EXIT. THIS PROJECT INCREASES NEW ENGLAND'S REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM RESILIENCY BY FOSTERING SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARM ECONOMIC VIABILITY AND FARMER WELLBEING.