SOUTHERN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS JULY, 1982 DISCUSSION: POLICY SCIENCE IN THE LAND-GRANT COMPLEX: A PERSPECTIVE ON NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS

Three of Randall's general viewpoints particu- are the means available for producing goods larly deserve emphasis as being in agreement which in turn are used to satisfy wants. Hun-with my methodological views. First, the dreds of different kinds of resources exist in the pluralistic view of the policy process and the role economy. Among these are labor of all kinds, of economists in providing information both on raw materials of all kinds, land, machinery, objectives and policies seem to be more in accord buildings, semi-finished materials, fuel, power, with the nature of human beings and the policy transportation, and the like (p. 4). " While the process, compared with earlier views of econo- loose use of the concept of resource probably is mists prescribing programs to meet given objec- not confusing to most professional agricultural tives. Second, his endorsement of provision of economists, it may be perplexing to research information, rather than prescription, corre- administrators, politicians, and others with sponds with my view of the most fruitful method whom agricultural economists interact. A second of organization of research for such a policy en- comment concerns an absence in the paper of vironment. A new body of literature in psychol- discussion of issues relative to income distribu-ogy provides support for this position, in addition tion. Perhaps, this failure was an oversight, be