51 



ican agriculture in order to ensure our continued supply of high 

 quality, safe, affordable food for the American consumer. 



The office of higher education programs administers competitive 

 grant programs such as institutional challenge grants, institutional 

 capacity-building grants for 1890 land-grant institutions, and na- 

 tional needs graduate fellowships grants. In addition, we are col- 

 laborating with this office to develop a minority scholars program 

 to help attract quahfied minority scholars to agriculture and the 

 agricultural sciences. 



Secretary Espy has called for a new USDA which is science- 

 based and user-friendly, a Department that utilizes the newest and 

 best science and technology to solve human problems. We concur. 

 Therefore, our recommendation regarding the priorities of the new 

 and visionary USDA is a call for ascendence of higher education in 

 the form of increased support for its office of higher education pro- 

 grams. Inherent in this suggestion is the expectation that the As- 

 sistant Secretary for Science and Education will play an increas- 

 ingly important role in agricultural, environmental, and rural de- 

 velopment policy. 



The Joint Council on Food £ind Agricultural Sciences, imder the 

 direction of the Assistant Secretary for Science and Education, has 

 been the interface for policy discussions between the land-grant 

 community and the USDA science and education Administrators. 

 The priorities developed each year by this council play a significant 

 role in directing USDA and land-grant colleges of agricultural ac- 

 tivities. A continued and expanded role for this congressionally 

 mandated joint council should be a priority for the USDA of the fu- 

 ture. 



In addition, we recommend that the new USDA make a very spe- 

 cial effort to forge a closer link between the mutually agreed-upon 

 priorities of the joint council and subsequent USDA funding. 



Finally, we would like to point out that the functions of research 

 and teaching, whether formal undergraduate education or 

 nonformal extension education, are complementary activities and 

 are best organized in conjunction with each other. Thus, any dis- 

 cussion of priorities should thoughtfully consider the necessary 

 close working relationship of research and education. 



Again, I appreciate the opportunity of participating in these 

 hearings and pledge to your subcommittee the support and exper- 

 tise of the academic programs section of the NASULGC Board on 

 Agriculture. 



Thank you. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Mortensen appears at the conclu- 

 sion of the hearing.] 



Mr. Stenholm [resuming chair]. Thank you. 



Mr. Guernsey. 



STATEMENT OF ROBERT GUERNSEY, PAST CHAIRMAN, COUN- 

 CIL FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND 

 TEACHING 



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

 tee, I am pleased to appear before you today to offer comments on 

 the science and education priorities of USDA. I am Robert Guern- 

 sey, a farmer from Indiana. I have a family operation where I 



