This is why USDA research helps everyone

It is disappointing the media, political leaders and even commodity groups will not place a high emphasis on agriculture research. Buchanan’s book reviews the history of agriculture and the emergence of agricultural research. No book on research would be worth reading unless a chapter was devoted to the land grant system and its impact on agriculture research. Buchanan quotes himself, “The 1862 Morrill (Land-Grant) Act changed forever how higher education is perceived in this country. This legislation unleashed a hunger for learning by ordinary, average people that has not been fully satisfied to this day.” Other chapters deal with how difficult it is to obtain research money. Many in the present administration, and particularly leaders in Congress, will see research budgets as easy targets for reduction of spending. This is incredibly shortsighted.