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examples of flexibility. Competitive and special grants, while ex- 

 tremely important and essential, do not and cannot, by their very 

 nature, provide the ongoing attention that is necessary. Research, 

 by its nature, requires a long-term effort that does not produce re- 

 sults overnight. 



Two, CARET believes that Extension must be inextricably linked 

 to the agricultural science and education efforts of our land-grant 

 universities. In order to remain competitive, we, the users, depend 

 heavily on Extension because the transfer of technology takes place 

 through this mechanism. Without the education and training we 

 receive from our Extension Service, we could be cut off from ad- 

 vances being made through the research done on our own or neigh- 

 boring land-grant campuses. We, in CARET, would be very con- 

 cerned if Extension were seen as a part of any farm pro-am or 

 regulatory effort. The whole community — the young, the senior, the 

 rural, the urban — and local government feed upon the knowledge 

 and resources flowing from our land-grant institutions. 



Three, a strong research effort provides the foundation for any 

 scientific and technological advances. We, in CARET, would urge a 

 balance between basic, applied, and mission-linked research so that 

 the needs of all kinds can be met. Because of the diverse needs of 

 our society, we would urge that multidisciplinary research efforts 

 be increased. Knowledge gained from basic research is distributed 

 quickly and widely, but it is the competitive application of applied 

 research that gives me the cutting edge in global competition. 



Four, well-educated people guarantee the continuation of new 

 knowledge and progress. It is, therefore, important to CARET that 

 the higher education programs housed within USDA be strength- 

 ened. These Federal dollars are multiplied many times by State 

 and private dollars while securing high-quality talent for the fu- 

 ture. This partnership of leveraging support allows entry into the 

 higher education system of the land grants by individuals, regard- 

 less of economic or social status. 



Five, in order for any of these agricultural research and edu- 

 cation efforts to be effective, they must respond to the needs of the 

 American people. We need to continually strengthen the partner- 

 ship between the user and the researcher so that the right ques- 

 tions are asked and the right problems are worked on for solutions. 

 Many of us in CARET have served in priority sessions smd on 

 futuring panels for research, education, and extension. We need to 

 maintain effective advisory boards, which include the participation 

 of both the research and education community as well as the pri- 

 vate citizen from rural and urban areas, with a wide variety of ag- 

 ricultural groups who are traditional and nontraditional users of 

 the land grant system. 



By takmg a more comprehensive approach to our communities, 

 we can address many issues and problems that face producers and 

 consumers. Creating effective dialog between such diversity en- 

 sures that I, as a producer, will know what the public wants and 

 how to deUver safe and nutritious products while still being sen- 

 sitive to the impact on my community and my environment. 



I want to express my deep appreciation for this opportunity to 

 share grassroots thoughts with this committee about what we feel 



