Research, Education, and Economics (REE) Mission Area
The Research, Education, and Economics mission area is dedicated to the creation of a safe, sustainable, competitive U.S. food and fiber system and strong, communities, families, and youth through integrated research, analysis, and education. Through the Agricultural Research Service; the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; the Economic Research Service; and the National Agricultural Statistics Service, REE provides research, analysis, and data to benefit consumers and promote agricultural prosperity and sustainable agricultural practices.

• Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is USDA's principal in-house research agency. ARS works to provide the scientific knowledge and technologies needed to ensure the viability of American agriculture. It conducts research to address agricultural problems of high National priority and aggressively works to transfer research results to the marketplace, where they serve the needs of a wide range of users. The work of ARS provides the scientific base for the quality, affordability, safety, and variety of the food and agricultural products all Americans enjoy.

  Authorizing Legislation: ARS research is authorized by the Act of 1946, P.L. 79-733, as amended (7 U.S.C., 1621 et seq.); and the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, P.L. 95-113, Title XIV as amended (7 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.).

  Home Page Address: http://www.ars.usda.gov

• Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), in partnership with land-grant universities and other public and private organizations, provides the focus to advance a global system of extramural research, extension, and higher education in the food and agricultural sciences and related environmental, social, and human sciences.

  Authorizing Legislation: The Hatch Act of 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361a-361i); the Act of May 14, 1914 (the "Smith-Lever Act"), P.L. 63-95, as amended (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.); the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act, P.L. 87-788, as amended (16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.); the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act, P.L. 89-106, as amended (7 U.S.C. 450i); the National Agricultural Research, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, P.L. 101-624, as amended; the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, P.L. 104-127, as amended; and the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998, P.L. 105-185, as amended.

  Home Page Address: http://www.reeusda.gov

• Economic Research Service (ERS) is USDA's principal social science research agency. Each year, ERS communicates research results and socioeconomic indicators via more than 400 briefings and analyses for policymakers and their staffs, 90 market analysis updates, and 40 major reports and via its website, which has over 2,000 hits daily.

  Authorizing Legislation: The Act of May 15, 1862, as amended (7 U.S.C. 2201); the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, P.L. 79-733, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1621-27).

  Home Page Address: http://www.ers.usda.gov

• National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) serves the basic agricultural and rural data needs of the country by providing objective, important, and accurate statistical information and services to farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, public officials, and others. This data is vital to monitoring the ever-changing agricultural sector and carrying out farm policy. NASS keeps U.S. agriculture well informed, by providing basic data in the timely, accurate, and impartial manner necessary to keep agricultural markets stable and efficient, and it helps maintain a "level playing field" and equal access for all users of agricultural statistics.

  Authorizing Legislation: The Act of May 15, 1862, as amended (7 U.S.C. 2204) and 7 U.S.C. 476,951.

  Home Page Address: http://www.usda.gov/nass