Developing and Testing New Foods and Fibers

Excerpts from the report: Although USDA has carried on utilization research for nearly a century, it was not until 1938 that work was formalized and coordinated in 4 regional laboratories. Scientists continually describe results, procedures, and work in progress in papers, articles, and books. In addition, about 200 or more patents have been issued to each of the 4 regional labs. Today's program is broader than that envisioned in the early beginning when work was limited to surplus commodities. Studies now include all farm products. The present program, in short, has many objectives. One remains constant--that of improving the position of agriculture in the U.S. economy by maintaining and expanding markets for products, by better meeting market requirements, and by satisfying human wants. This is being achieved by developing new foods, new processing methods, new fibers, and through basic research