TABLE II.-Sources of funds available for cooperative extension work in States, Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico for the fiscal year ending

June 30, 1958

TABLE III.-Statement of direct payments to and contracts with States, Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico, indicating those requiring offset by States and Territories, those not requiring such offset, and basis of distribution as estimated for 1959.

TABLE IV. Extension field agents under cooperative appointment with U. S. Department of Agriculture, June 30, 1955, 1956, 1957 (extension workers not under appointment are excluded)

NOTE.-Number of agricultural counties in the States, Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico, 3,163; number of agricultural counties served by county extension agents, 3,074.

GENERAL STATEMENT

Senator RUSSELL. The next presentation will be "Detailed estimates of the Department of Agriculture relating to the Extension Service" which is under the direction of Mr. Assistant Secretary Peterson. You may proceed, Mr. Secretary.

Mr. PETERSON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee.

We are glad to appear before this committee to present for your consideration budget proposals for Federal support of the FederalState Cooperative Extension Service for the coming fiscal year.

The function of the Extension Service is that of conducting an educational program in agriculture and home economics. It is a cooperative undertaking between the United States Department of Agriculture and the State land-grant colleges.

The Department's responsibilities in this cooperative undertaking are administered through the Federal Extension Service.

In addition to the specific responsibility of administering the Federal funds and the required State offset, this agency provides: (a) basic program leadership with respect to phases of programs of national significance, (b) technical assistance to the States in overall program development, (c) help in improving methods of operation in the interest of insuring the maximum effective service being rendered with resources available, (d) assistance with adjustment of programs within States in line with problems of regional or national importance, (e) help with training of staff, (f) with educational programs related to other programs administered by the Department of Agriculture, and similar matters.

However, the major elements of program leadership are the responsibility of the States in order to insure that available resources are most efficiently organized to deal with the most pressing problems of State and local importance.

In turn, further modification of programs is made within the individual counties in accordance with county problems and interests. The State extension staffs perform much the same functions on behalf of the county staffs as the Federal Extension Service provides the State leadership. Through this process, which has been developed over a period of nearly 50 years of cooperation, there is assurance that the resources which are available are applied where most needed to help local people understand the facts about problems of most significance to them. At the same there is assurance that matters of regional and national concern to the Department of Agriculture are given consideration.

EDUCATION IN AGRICULTURE

The informal educational programs conducted by this service relate to the fields of agriculture, home economics, and subjects which bear upon them. In agriculture, for example, they deal with technological, scientific, and economic problems in the areas of production, marketing, processing, utilization, and consumption of all products of the fields and feedlots. In home economics the areas covered are equally broad including such matters as management of the home and its facilities, family income and expenditures, family health and nutrition, shelter and clothing, as well as family and community living.

Special attention is given to the training of youth by providing experiences, through 4-H clubs and otherwise, which will better equip them to perceive and grasp whatever opportunities they may have in the future.

Programs are designed to help people more effectively use the resources they possess, or which can be made available to them-their land and water resources, operating capital and equipment, their own labor, and the wealth of scientific knowledge available from many sources. A major objective is to help people understand the application of this scientific knowledge and services available in order that they may improve their levels of living.

The work is carried out by a staff trained in the various sciences applicable to agriculture, home economics, and informal educational methods which have proven to be effective in such an informal educational setting. There are staff units located in over 3,000 counties with

staff members holding such titles as county agent, home demonstration agent, 4-H club agent, and extension agent, or a similar title.

PARTICIPATING CITIZENS' GROUPS

To insure appropriate localization and most effective use of resources available programs are built by local interested citizen groups with the assistance of the extension staffs in the various counties. They are designed to help people utilize their resources to the best advantage, including resources and assistance available from such supporting agencies as those of the Department of Agriculture, the land-grant colleges, and other institutions and agencies in a position to make a definite contribution to the improvement of the welfare of the people involved.

This is accomplished through educational procedures which not only bring all pertinent information to their attention but also which insure that they understand the significance of such information and ways in which it may be applied on each individual farm and in each individual home.

This very effective working arrangement is characterized by very close liaison at all times between the Department and the extension services of the land-grant colleges. The States constantly are calling upon the Federal Extension Service for advice and help. Moreover, there is organized consultation between the Extension Committee. on Organization and Policy of the American Association of LandGrant Colleges and State Universities, various subcommittees of that representative group, and this Department, including the Office of the Secretary.

Through this process there is assurance that the two participants to this cooperative undertaking have a common understanding at all times of the scope, purpose, and probable usefulness to farm and rural people of the work being undertaken.

CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS IN EDUCATION

Some time ago I discussed with the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy the need to study and document the current and future needs for emphasis in extension's educational programs. This has been done, and the resulting report has full indorsement. It is known as the scope report.

We would appreciate the privilege of inserting this brief but important report in the record at this time.

Senator RUSSELL. You may do so.

Mr. PETERSON. The following points stressed in the report illustrate major reasons for the constantly changing demands for extension assistance in the current setting.

(a) Adjustments are necessary in the family farm economy to keep farming operations abreast of higher investments, greater mechanization, greater cash operating costs, more technology, and new marketing problems. Growing farmer dependence on the nonfarming community and higher financial risks also require adjustments in the family farm economy.

(b) Off-farm influences-acreage controls, marketing agreements and orders, price supports, foreign-trade policies, social security,