**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 TOPIC OF THIS CONFERENCE IS HIGHLY RELEVANT TO THE USDA AS THE FOCUS OF THIS CONFERENCE IS ENGINEERING OF CHLOROPLAST FOR INDUSTRIALLY IMPORTANT BIOMOLECULES. GENERALLY RECOGNIZED BENEFITS OF PLASTID ENGINEERING (AS COMPARED TO ENGINEERING OF THE NUCLEAR GENOME) ARE THE ABILITY OF HIGH-LEVEL PROTEIN EXPRESSION FROM PLASTID TRANSGENES, EXPRESSION OF MULTIPLE GENES IN OPERONS, AND TRANSGENE CONTAINMENT IN CROPS IN WHICH ONLY THE MATERNAL PARENT INHERITS PLASTIDS, THEREBY PREVENTING TRANSGENE FLOW VIA POLLEN. THIS CONFERENCE WILL PRESENT AND STIMULATE NOVEL RESEARCH RELEVANT TO ENGINEERING OF CHLOROPLASTS TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURAL PERFORMANCE AND/OR PRODUCE NOVEL BIOMOLECULES AT INDUSTRIAL SCALE FOR HEALTH, FOOD OR BIOFUEL. THIS CONFERENCE WILL FOSTER COLLABORATION AND INNOVATIONS IN CHLOROPLAST (PLASTID) ENGINEERING BETWEEN JUNIOR AND SENIOR RESEARCHERS.THIS CONFERENCE WILL BRING TO TOGETHER EXPERTISE IN ALL KEY TECHNOLOGIES AS WELL AS EXPERTISE IN THE FUNDAMENTAL BIOLOGY OF CHLOROPLASTS. THIS WILL GREATLY STIMULATE AND ACCELERATE ADVANCEMENT OF CHLOROPLAST BIOTECHNOLOGY AND ITS IMPACT OF AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN HEALTH AND CATALYZE COLLABORATION BETWEEN RESEARCHERS IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS.