The board consists of 30 members specified by Congress to represent the broad array of research and education stakeholders. To date, the Board has provided guidance to the Secretary on a number of different issues, including the Fund for Rural America, the strategic plan and the facilities strategic task force nominees. This symposium is to help ensure that broad stakeholder input is incorporated within USDA's priority setting processes. The executive committee and I envision an on-going process of stakeholder conferences and are confident that this process will achieve the goals defined by the legislation. In the climate of today's budget discussions, many question the appropriateness of spending federal dollars for research, extension and education at a time when budget deficits are large.
Federal funds are appropriate, and needed, to achieve national goals.
I believe that the U.S. should be a world leader in developing basic, fundamental knowledge as a foundation for the practical and cost competitive food and agricultural systems of the 21st century. We have enjoyed this position throughout most of this century. We must not lose it. Our national policy should also, in my opinion, assure the nation has the best educated and trained human resource base in the world. Our leading land grant universities are recognized around the world for their excellence in education.