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Great strides were made in yield and insect control, disease resistance, and many other areas in the last 50 years. In recent years, great breakthroughs have slowed down. Work of improving plant varieties, vaccines, and safe and effective pesticides and herbicides has become harder and more expensive.

I was delighted when Secretary Block came before us and told us of his concern about research. I am gratified by the budget figures that we have just received this afternoon.

However, I do share the concerns of our distinguished Chairman. I will look forward to your answers.

I was especially pleased, Dr. Kinney, with your comments about integrated pest management. The University of Nebraska has pioneered in this field. It is being accepted by farmers and ranchers

across our area.

I just have one question.

COMPETITIVE GRANT FUNDS

In the Agricultural Appropriations Act of 1981, the House removed $25 million from the competitive grants fund and transferred them to the special grants fund.

Then over in the Senate most of these funds were put back into the competitive grants category prior to final passage. We ended up with $18 million in the special grants and $16 million in the competitive grants.

I would like your comments about which fund uses the dollars more effectively. I would like you to shed a little light on that. Dr. BERTRAND. Both of these programs are very important to us. The special grant funds are aimed primarily at practical questions-questions that need answers immediately and that will be undertaken by the state university/land grant college/experiment station complex to meet either state needs or regional needs.

The competitive grants program is aimed at basic research questions in plant science and human nutrition. These basic questions will not always be addressed if we are giving priority just to the special grants area.

We feel there is a need for both special grants and for competitive grants in order that we can highlight the need for some of those basic studies.

As to which is the most efficient, I do not think we have the answer to that. We have not made an in-depth study. We do know, however, that the process for awarding these grants is basically the same in that we use a peer panel to select, advise, and counsel us as to whom shall be the recipient.

We also use essentially the same methods of controlling and checking to see that the work is carried out in accordance with the agreed-upon plan.

There is a potential cost factor in favor of special grants in that traditionally the land grant universities have charged a lower rate of overhead than some of the recipients of the competitive grants. Mrs. SMITH. Thank you very much for that answer. It is good having you here.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. TRAXLER. Thank you, Mrs. Smith.

HIRING FREEZE

Dr. Kinney, we have already heard much about the continuing hiring freeze and the plans to reduce actual federal employment over the next year. Can you tell me what impact this new hiring freeze has had on your operations and if you have any indication as to how many and what type of personnel might be terminated as a result of efforts to reduce federal employment?

Dr. KINNEY. The hiring freeze has had the immediate impact of deferment of 150 hiring commitments which were anticipated in the second quarter of fiscal year 1981. It is anticpated that many of those prospective hires will no longer be available when the freeze is lifted.

No employees will be terminated by Argicultural Research as a direct result of efforts to reduce federal employment. Employment ceiling reductions will be achieved through attrition. Vacancies in research positions will be filled as required to continue critical programs. Clerical, General Schedule and Federal Wage System support positions will be carefully examined and only those essential for program accomplishment will be filled. In this manner, Agricultural Research will attempt to alleviate the personnel impact of hiring freezes and ceiling reductions.

PROJECTS WHICH WILL NOT BE FUNDED IN FISCAL YEAR 1982

Mr. TRAXLER. You specify in your statement that a number of projects will be terminated, mostly because of their having been completed or outlived their priority. Can you provide for the record a complete list showing by project, location and amount, those projects which will still be in progress when you terminate them, and which projects will be completed?

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*Much of the research was of a short-term nature. In those cases where the research has not been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, the work will be completed with existing base funds.

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