86 



ARS programs are centrally planned and coordinated. The agency manages the scientiric 

 and operational activities of 1 27 locations, which comprise a network of geographically 

 dispersed naliooal and overseas laboratories. As a national research organization. ARS 

 provides: 



• Ability to perform long-term, high-risk research. 



• Ability to respond to both suble and rapidly changing technical goals. 



• An organizational structure ensuring research program accountability and 

 coordination. 



• Ability to focus research on gaps in knowledge that are barriers to solving problems. 



• Capability to form, disband, or coordinate interdisciplinary or multilocation research 

 teams from a large, diverse scientiflc workforce of over 2.600 research scientists, 

 including postdoctoral research associates. 



For research planning and resource allocation, the ARS program is divided into six areas, 

 called objectives: 



Objective I — Soil, water, and air conservation 



Objective 2 — Plant sciences 



Objective J^Animal sciences 



Objective 4— Commodity conversion and delivery 



Objective 5— Human nutrition 



Objective 6 — Integration of systems 



The objectives are further divided into problem areas and scientific approaches. 



Purposes of 

 Agricultural 

 Research 



Section 1402 of the 1990 Farm Bill (Public Law 101-624. Food. Agriculture. Conserva- 

 tion, and Trade Act of 1990) stales: 



Subject to the varying conditions and needs of States, Federally funded 

 agricultural research and extension programs shall be designed to. among 

 other things, accomplish the following — 



(1) continue to satisfy human food and fiber needs: 



(2) enhance the long-term viability and competitiveness of the food 

 production and agricuhural system of the United States within the 

 global economy: 



(3) expand economic opportunities in rural America and enhance the 

 quality of life for farmers, rural citizens, and society as a whole: 



(4) improve the productivity of the American agricultural system 

 and develop new agricultural crops and new uses for agricultural 

 commodities; 



