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leadership skills to do so. For too long we have neglected development of the social science 

 information base that would help assure viable families and communities, and build a 

 competent work force that will sustain the agricultural enterprise and related economic 

 development. 



The development of new markets will generate additional income that will stimulate 

 economic growth in rural America. Enlightened market development starts with the premise 

 that we identify what the consumer wants; whereas, unenlightened market development starts 

 with the premise that we must convince consumers that they want to buy what we have to 

 sell. Within our land grant universities we must develop a better information base on 

 consumer wants and interests and recognize that consumers are a complex group of culture 

 2ind ethnicity, age range, and economic capacity. 



New research in processing and adding value to raw products can result in the 

 development of new markets for agricultural commodities and overall enhanced economic 

 activity based on new products and processing technologies. Research in this area has the 

 potential for converting waste products into usable items and for creating new and modified 

 products which are environmentally compatible. Land grant universities have the ability to put 

 together interdisciplinary research teams of nutritionists, food scientists, textile and polymer 

 scientists, and engineers who can create new processed foods, create non-food uses for 

 agricultural products, and address problems of solid waste management. Concomitant 

 research in this area would assess consumer and industrial acceptance, product quality and 

 safety, as well as the creation of new products and uses. 



Priorities for U.S. agriculture are shifting from production driven markets to consumer 

 driven markets; from a focus on commodities to the quality of the workforce which has the 

 capacity to convert commodities to consumer acceptable products; from production for 

 domestic markets to production for global markets; from a focus of maximizing productivity to 

 a focus of optimizing productivity in concert with the environment; and from the cure of 

 disease to production of a nutritious food supply which will help prevent disease. The USOA 

 in concert with the land grant university system which includes colleges of home economics, 

 veterinary medicine, forestry and engineering as well as agriculture; has the responsibility and 

 capacity to lead these and other transitions and should be organized to do so. 



