Alaska, and

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

$1,802, 165. 54

307, 728. 21
1, 493, 033. 44
1, 275, 970. 44
512, 879. 36
259, 725.92
150,668. 88
600, 680. 54
1, 966, 165. 89

382,499. 80

1, 510, 899. 47
1, 276, 197. 29
1, 379, 739. 70

984, 854.00
1,811, 911. 70
1, 228, 016. 03

359, 289.37
514, 861.55
394, 344.95
1,514, 726. 23
1, 332, 311.95
1,905, 674. 64
1, 655, 975. 76
420, 328. 54
812, 085. 39
185, 276. 18
180, 191.98
367, 368. 10
426, 558.80
1,306, 288. 11
2, 473, 308. 44

568, 934. 82
1,732, 055. 60
1,337, 178. 09
584, 207.00
1,697, 764. 13

98,987. 10
1,293, 497.90

$1,669, 404. 00

481, 066. 25
1, 555, 995. 00
4, 613, 463. 99
953, 467.00
586, 314.00
162, 413.00
1,802, 543. 00
2, 135, 048.00

841, 992. 20
2,674,000.00
2,097, 494.00
2, 650, 071.00
2,454, 313.00
1,301, 973. 12
2, 197, 927. 88

421, 407. 20
1,556, 868.00
1, 140, 002. 95
3,063, 657.00
1,311, 683. 23
1,661, 118. 86
1,712, 178. 05
882, 394.00
1, 232, 409. 51

276, 042. 10
372, 443.75
1, 315, 080. 78
640, 440. 00
4,829, 885, 89
4, 018, 732.00

674, 003. 50
1,702, 639.00
1,824, 036.00
2,275, 987. 85
1,945, 028. 00
136, 683. 90
1, 133, 020. 84

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