I have been particularly pleased with how well the Department's reorganization of human nutrition research has worked. After the expected shakedown period, the Human Nutrition Information Service and the reorganized Science and Education Office are running smoothly. They are coordinating their efforts through the Secretary's Policy and Coordination Council.

At this point, with your permission, Mr. Chairman, and that of the committee, I would like to leave the balance of the USDA testimony to Secretary Jarratt and to Secretary Bentley to provide you with more detailed information on USDA's human nutrition programs and plans.

[The prepared statement of Mr. Lyng follows:]

STATEMENT OF

RICHARD E. LYNG, DEPUTY SECRETARY

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

AND THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FOREIGN AGRICULTURE

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

U. S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 14, 1983

MR. CHAIRMEN AND MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEES:

MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE PLEASED TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY TO
DISCUSS THE DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVITIES REGARDING HUMAN NUTRITION
RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND INFORMATION. I AM ACCOMPANIED BY

DR. ORVILLE BENTLEY, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR SCIENCE AND EDUCATION;
MISS MARY JARRATT, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND CONSUMER
SERVICES; MS. ISABEL WOLF, ADMINISTRATOR, HUMAN NUTRITION
INFORMATION SERVICE; AND DR. DONALD THERRIAULT, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
OF THE ARS HUMAN NUTRITION RESEARCH CENTER, BELTSVILLE, MARYLAND.
SECRETARIES BENTLEY AND JARRATT HAVE PREPARED STATEMENTS WHICH WILL
EXPAND UPON MY REMARKS, AND PROVIDE APPROPRIATE DETAIL CONCERNING
ACTIVITIES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS.

A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, WE REPORTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT HUMAN NUTRITION RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND INFORMATION REPRESENT A COMMITMENT OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. OUR PROPOSED FUNDING OF OVER $44 MILLION DOLLARS FOR HUMAN NUTRITION RESEARCH IN THE 1984 BUDGET IS EVIDENCE OF OUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT IN THIS AREA.

SINCE BEFORE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS CONDUCTED A PROGRAM OF RESEARCH IN FOOD AND HUMAN NUTRITION AND HAS MADE THE RESULTS OF THIS RESEARCH AVAILABLE SO THAT PEOPLE

COULD MAKE INFORMED FOOD CHOICES. THE RESULTS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S

RESEARCH IN HUMAN NUTRITION HAVE BENEFITTED THE NUTRITIONAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF MILLIONS IN THIS COUNTRY AND THROUGHOUT THE

WORLD.

THE DEPARTMENT'S HUMAN NUTRITION RESEARCH PROGRAM CONCENTRATES ON
FIVE AREAS SPECIFICALLY MANDATED BY CONGRESS IN THE FOOD AND
AGRICULTURE ACT OF 1977. THESE FIVE AREAS ARE: NUTRITION
MONITORING OF THE POPULATION, THE NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF FOODS,
FACTORS AFFECTING FOOD PRACTICES AND PREFERENCES, FOOD PROGRAM
EVALUATION, AND HUMAN NUTRITION REQUIREMENTS. THE FIRST FOUR OF
THESE ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR FOOD
AND CONSUMER SERVICES. DETERMINING NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS AND
METHODS FOR ANALYZING THE NUTRIENT CONTENT OF FOOD ARE THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR SCIENCE AND
EDUCATION. MISS JARRATT AND DR. BENTLEY ARE WITH ME TODAY TO
DISCUSS IN GREATER DETAIL THEIR ONGOING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND THEIR
FUTURE PLANS.

YOUR COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN MAJOR PROPONENTS OF A COORDINATED
NATIONAL NUTRITION MONITORING SYSTEM. SINCE OUR REPORT TO YOU LAST
YEAR, WE HAVE MADE CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS IN ACTIVITIES DEFINED AS
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE JOINT
USDA-DHHS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. WE HAVE TAKEN IMPORTANT STEPS
LEADING TO INITIATION OF A CONTINUING SURVEY OF THE FOOD INTAKES

OF INDIVIDUALS TO BEGIN IN FY 1985. WE HAVE OBTAINED APPROVAL FOR
THE CHARTER FOR THE JOINT NUTRITION MONITORING EVALUATION
COMMITTEE. WE HAVE HELD THE FIRST OF TWO DATA USERS CONFERENCES
CO-SPONSORED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
AND, WE HAVE MADE CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS IN FILLING GAPS IN OUR
KNOWLEDGE OF FOOD COMPOSITION.

I HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY PLEASED WITH HOW WELL THE DEPARTMENT'S REORGANIZATION OF HUMAN NUTRITION RESEARCH HAS WORKED. AFTER THE EXPECTED SHAKE-DOWN PERIOD, THE HUMAN NUTRITION INFORMATION SERVICE AND THE REORGANIZED SCIENCE AND EDUCATION OFFICE ARE RUNNING SMOOTHLY. THEY ARE COORDINATING THEIR EFFORTS THROUGH THE SECRETARY'S POLICY AND COORDINATION COUNCIL.

AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MISS JARRATT AND DR. BENTLEY TO

PROVIDE YOU WTH MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON THEIR HUMAN NUTRITION RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PLANS.