An Essay on Federal-State Research Programs in Agricultural Economics: Needs and Prospects for the Future In Agricultural Marketing

A very cursory review of our agricultural economics literature shows a history of concern in our profession about the effectiveness of our research efforts. And, concern and criticism follow us to the present day. Certainly, there are no simple answers to the questions that face us. The question for discussion cannot be elaborated on in an authoritative and summary fashion. Though more modest in scope, the question before us is part of a much broader question of where are we and what should we be doing in agricultural research. This broad question was posed by the Senate Committee on Appropriations in 1965. We recall that the level of concern was such that USDA and the Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges arranged for a special 12 member USDA-SAES task force to study and report on the situation. Their comprehensive report, entitled “A National Program of Research for Agriculture†(Report of a study sponsored jointly by an Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges and USDA, Oct. 1966) is testimony to the monumental nature of the assignment.