Peter Visclosky: “for the past 50 years, the Agriculture Research Service, or ARS as they are better known, has performed indispensable…”

“for the past 50 years, the Agriculture Research Service, or ARS as they are better known, has performed indispensable agriculture research across the country, including in the Congressional District I represent. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize ARS in honor of their 50th anniversary as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's main research authority. From improving food safety to protecting crops and livestock, ARS has proved itself invaluable throughout the past 50 years. As the Department of Agriculture's research arm, they have been able to translate their raw data into profitability for farmers and lower costs for consumers. ARS has formed lasting partnerships with Universities throughout the nation, and has done so at Purdue University since 1965 when they released their first nationwide soil erosion-prediction equation. ARS maintains top-notch Crop Production and Pest Control, Livestock Behavior, and National Soil Erosion Laboratory units at Purdue. ARS, in conjunction with Purdue, continues to stay on the leading edge of agricultural research. Just this summer, they released their cutting edge Water Erosion Prediction Project over the Internet with software known as GeoWEPP.”