43 



Extension, research, £ind education efforts of the USDA should 

 emphasize rural development and revitalization as well as an envi- 

 ronmentally sound and internationally competitive production agri- 

 culture. The USDA-land-grant university partnership must now re- 

 spond to the greater and more complex issues of agriculture, envi- 

 ronment, and social/economic rural infrastructure. We should ex- 

 pand our traditional resource base and work directly with profes- 

 sional organizations and individuals with experience on environ- 

 mental and social issues as programs are established for rural de- 

 velopment or policies are established on environmental topics. 



The NASULGC Board on Agriculture's statement provides gen- 

 eral and overall concepts for consideration. Representatives of the 

 NASULGC board who will follow this testimony will provide more 

 specific recommendations for research, extension, instruction, and 

 international programs. 



Thank you for the opportunity to present a statement on behalf 

 of the NASULGC Board on Agriculture on the priorities for re- 

 search and education for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Topel appears at the conclusion 

 of the hearing.] 



Mr. Stenholm. Thank you. 



Next well hear from Dr. Zerle Carpenter, director of Agricultural 

 Extension Service, Texas A&M University. 



STATEMENT OF ZERLE L. CARPENTER, ASSOCIATE DEPUTY 

 CHANCELLOR FOR AGRICULTURE AND DIRECTOR, TEXAS 

 AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE, TEXAS A&M UNIVER- 

 SITY, AND CHAIRMAN, EXTENSION COMMITTEE ON ORGANI- 

 ZATION AND POLICY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE 

 UNIVERSITIES AND LAND-GRANT COLLEGES 



Mr. Carpenter. Mr. Chairman, members of the subcommittee, I 

 am Zerle Carpenter, and I'm director of the Cooperative Extension 

 System in the State of Texas. I also have the privilege of serving 

 as the current chairman of the Extension Committee on Organiza- 

 tion and Policy, commonly referred to as ECOP, with the National 

 Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges. On be- 

 half of ECOP, it's my great pleasure to take part in this hearing 

 to discuss the role and functions of the Cooperative Extension 

 System. 



Mr. Chairman, in the interest of time, I will only emphasize 

 some of the highlights of my prepared text and, with your permis- 

 sion, would like to submit a more detailed statement for the record. 



Mr. Stenholm. Without objection, your prepared statement will 

 appear in the record. 



Mr. Carpenter. Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommit- 

 tee, as you know, the Cooperative Extension System, or CES, links 

 USDA to the people and communities in almost every county of the 

 United States. They link these through the land-grant universities 

 in the 50 States, six Territories, and the District of Columbia. Its 

 mission is to help people improve their lives through a dynamic, 

 multifaceted educational program that focuses scientific knowledge 

 on contemporary problems, issues, and needs facing people, busi- 

 nesses, and those communities. 



