Video Transcript – Dr. J.B. Penn, Deputy Administrator 1978-1981

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Economic Research Service 

ERS has always been looked to by the Farm and Food Industry as 
the objective analyst of what the current and emerging trends are. 
And today, with so many opinions about agriculture, and the food 
system, and what it should be, so many competing forces, with the 
local food movement, and organics, and humane treatment of animals, 
environmental considerations, the need for productivity gains to 
meet the market demands, all of these competing forces make claims 
from time to time about agriculture or try to present opinions or 
advance policy positions. My sense is that if there ever was a 
need for an objective view of the agriculture and food industry, 
now is the time. And I think ERS can serve that role very well.

Congratulations are certainly in order to ERS for the 50th 
Anniversary, ERS has served a very valuable function to the 
agricultural and food industry of this country, and as I indicated 
I think it has a lot more to contribute. It has a bright future 
looking forward.