Vol. 16—1962 - NorthEastern Weed Science Society

9
The Role of the State in Res idue Determinationp and Clearances
with Particular Reference to Agricultura¢ Chemicals.
Charles E. Palm Y
New York S'\;ate College of Agriculture
Cornell University
The rapid expans ion in the use of chemicals in al~ phases of modern
agriCUlture is one of the great developments of recent decades. The pr1lllary
concern of your conference is With an important part of the field of agricultural
chemicals -- the development and use of herbicides. Closely related
chemicals used as insecticides, fungicides, nematicides, plant growth regulators,
defoliants· and related compounds, have much in; commonin the research
programs of many of the State Colleges of Agriculture and their Agricult~al .
Experiment Stations. The topic I he.ve been asked to rEiview deals with the
broad field of policy, as well e.s opportunity for service in the state experiment
stations, regarding residues that may result ~rom the use of thelJe
chemicals in modern agriculture, and the state's role:b obtaining tolerances
and registration for use of materials needed in its prqgrams. My own professional
experience he.s come from association with in~ect-control programs
in which insecticides have been of primary concern; ye"t; in e. broader sense,
cooperative research projects within our own experiments stations at Ithaca
and Geneva, as well as participation Ql the Northee.stern Regional Residue Research
Program from its inception, have provided an awareness of the total
problem.
It is essential at the outset to remind ourselves that the State workers
are partners in a cooperative venture with representatives of the agricultural
chemical industry, at home and abroad, and the several agencies of the federe.l
governmentengB8Eld in resee.rch, extension, and regulatot-y programs in this
field. In short, we have responsibilities, but they mus:t integre.te with those
of others. I should like to review e. few developments to illustrate this
point.
RESlDEm' INSTRUCTIONIN OURSTATECOLLEGESANDUNIVERSITIES.
Since the este.blishment of the Land Grant Colleges. through the Morrill
Act by the Congress and the President in 1862, the impo:rtance of teaching
agriculture he.s been recognized in each of the several states. This is the
Centennial Year for the Land Grant Colleges, and recognition of their m~
contributions to our nation continues to be highlighted. Further, one of the
gree.t developments of the past century has been the rise o£ research in our
land grant institutions, des1gIled to be of service to the citizens of the
states. The Hatch Act of 1888 recognized the need tor ~ederal support for
establishing the agricultural experiment stations a.t th~ land grant universities
and continues with increasing support today. Then, e.s p.ewknowledge beCaate
available, the Cooperative Extension programs at these ,awe land grant units
was made possible by federal support through the Smith-Lever Act in 1914. (rhe
psttern of teaching at the undergraduate and graduate l,vels, the conductPf
research in be,sic as well as applied fields, and its ap:plication through extension
channels throughout the several states. has bl'!Nilnv> A . ..,,,11 _In."""", ~_......~-