Agricultural Research and Development and Extension Activities

In testimony before a House subcommittee, GAO discussed the results of several major studies performed during the past 2 years relating to Department of Agriculture (USDA) research, development, and extension activities. These included: (1) long-range planning for agricultural research and development; (2) management of plant genetic resources, or germplasm; (3) activities of the Cooperative Extension Service; (4) nutrition research planning and coordination; and (5) personnel needs in the food and agricultural sciences. USDA has made long-range plans for individual internal research topics and has developed operational plans for in-house research, but it does not have a national long-range plan. GAO believes that USDA and State research organizations should cooperate in developing a first step in long-range planning by making a food needs assessment and determining the research alternatives that would assist in meeting those needs. The National Plant Germplasm System is inadequate because of decentralized management of germplasm resources, which effectively prohibits the implementation of an integrated germplasm development, maintenance, and research program. USDA is taking action to address the System's problems. As a result of a GAO examination of the Cooperative Extension Service's mission, a Joint Committee on the Future of Cooperative Extension was established to develop recommendations on the appropriate mission, scope, priorities, and future direction for the Extension Service. The Government does not have an overall Federal nutrition research plan that identifies specific goals with unified and coordinated strategies. However, several Federal departments and agencies have been working together to facilitate communication and effective and efficient use of resources. The Office of Science and Technology Policy intends to update and expand a 1980 report for use in evolving a broad Federal nutrition research plan. USDA was not obtaining an accurate and up-to-date profile of the overall supply/demand and personnel development requirements for food and agricultural science personnel. As a result of a GAO recommendation, USDA stated that it would obtain input from agricultural industry representatives and that it would interact as well with other Federal agencies in developing future assessments of such personnel needs.