USDA s research function is as old

as the department itseff. It was

one of the agency s original thnctions

and it continues to serve us well

today.

In today s complex agriculture,

many of the issues faced by

producers are nationwide in their

impact and demand a national

commitment to address them.

In some areas, the research to

provide the answers will require such

long-term risk and expense that the

private sector may hesitate to

undertake it. In those cases, there

will be a need for concentrated

Federal funding.

Once the results of basic research

are in the public domain, the private

sector can see opportunities to

expand and modif~~ them--to put

them to work to improve the quality

of life by developing new uses and

new markets for farm products,

improving farm efficiency, and

strengthening farmer profitability.

The basic impetus behind

agricultural research is not simply to

increase production--it is to find

answers to the challenges society and

agriculture face today--and will

certainly confront tomorrow.

Our current challenge in

agnculture is to remain competitive

in the world market. U.S. producers

must be able to produce their crops at

a price that will allow them to be

marketed successfully in this global

economy. Research will help us

discover more efficient and more

cost-effective means of doing this.

Agriculture is a dynamic industry,

and that dynamism is fueled by

research. Dedicated men and women

all over the United States--in the

Federal Government, the vast

network of State Experiment

Stations, and private industry--are

part of a common effort to seek

answers that will ultimately benefit

all of us.

The excitement and the rewards of

their work are evident in the 1986

Yearbook of Agriculture. "Research

tbr Tomorrow" pays tribute to the

vital role research plays in enabling

U.S. agriculture to be a strong world-

class industo,.