Science Democratized: Advisory Committees on Research

Abstract

HOUGH farming is typically considered a conservative, tradition-oriented way of life, American agriculture is built upon faith in the practical value of science. The key scientific centers for agriculture have been the state land-grant colleges and the U. S. Department of Agriculture. In an attempt to democratize agricultural research, giving the users of the information more influence upon researchers and administrators, Congress provided in 1946 for nonscientist advisory committees for USDA research. What influence have these committees exercised? To the extent that it had a single purpose, the Research and Marketing Act of 1946 (RMA)l was a broad charter for USDA to improve agricultural marketing. It provided for research, service, and education, but not regulation to help create a marketing system capable of disposing of surpluses and to protect the farmer's position in that system. Enacted in a time of scarcity and high agricultural prices, the act was based on widespread predictions of agricultural surpluses and depressed prices once wartime prosperity should fade. A second purpose of the act, partially integrated with the major theme, was to authorize new funds for research in the state agricultural experiment stations. A portion of these funds was intended for marketing research. The politicians put their faith in science, but they put their faith, too, in the untrained man, and provided for citizen advisory