137 



based. They are training, certification-type efforts, not an extension 

 education effort as we would think of it. 



In fact, there is a problem with the Russians understanding our 

 system, what we mean by extension education. And as I listen to 

 how the word "extension" is translated by different Russians, it has 

 several meanings. There is no consensus. Sometimes it is trans- 

 lated meaning consulting services, sometimes training, sometimes 

 information services. So we have to accomplish something about 

 awareness there and then figure out an institutional base from 

 which we can build an extension service if that is what the Rus- 

 sians want to do. 



Personally, I think it is sorely needed, especially to help those 

 private farmers out there who have no access to the research estab- 

 lishment. 



Mr. Penny. We heard from two private farmers by videotape yes- 

 terday, and one of them was then connected with us here by phone. 

 And a strong interest seems to exist in acquiring production equip- 

 ment and processing equipment, but the request is, first, kind of 

 farm-based processing equipment so that they can make their com- 

 modities mstrket ready. 



So we are not talking about a larger creamery, let's say. We are 

 talking about pasteurizing and other farm-based equipment. 



How best do you — ^would you propose we respond to that de- 

 mand? Here, again, I know that the GSM credit program could be 

 utilized to move equipment of any sort over to Russia, but that 

 may not get it down to the private farmers. It may sit in some 

 warehouse somewhere or it may go to support the state farm struc- 

 ture. It may not support entrepreneurial farmers. 



Do you have any suggestions as to how we could move this farm- 

 based processing equipment into the Russian economy? 



Mr. Infanger. Mr. Chairman, I have heard this same request 

 from lots of farmers. These two farmers you had on the telephone 

 link are just representative of a more common request. 



What is motivating their desire to have on-farm processing is 

 their inability to access a competitive marketing structure. In fact, 

 many of them are simply shut out of the marketing system. They 

 have to go hat in hand to the state and collective farm to get things 

 marketed or to the state monopoly firms. 



Personally, I don't think it is a solution to have every little farm- 

 er have a creamery. Personally, I like the proposal made earlier by 

 Ms. Cashman about a joint commission that would help take some 

 of this monetized £dd and get it out to small groups that in a coop- 

 erative way would establish some sort of feasibly sized production 

 facility that would be a competitive facility to compete with the ex- 

 isting monopoly processing and distribution system. That is not 

 happening, of course, right now. 



Mr. Penny. When do you head back? 



Mr. Infanger. Friday. Take my photocopying machine and go 

 back. 



Mr. Penny. Are you going to take spring with you? 



Mr. Infanger. I wish you had sent a little spring over. I wish 

 I had known the Cats were going to be in the final four. I would 

 have delayed my departure 2 or 3 days. 



