Micro- and Macro-Analytic Potential of Agricultural Information Systems

WHILE there is little formal theory on the economics of information, recognition of the importance of information to agriculture is clearly evident in the numerous institutions, public and private, which have as one objective the development (i.e., the whole process of research, preparation and compilation of findings) or dissemination of information bearing on problems encountered by farmers. One of the best examples of such public institutions is the land grant college [13, p. 2]. While much experience is available with respect to development and dissemination of information, there is nevertheless a need for enlargement in this area. The developments of the last few years in areas of data collection, data storage, data retrieval, data communication, and decision techniques are calling attention to the unsolved problem of utilizing the mass of various data which might be accumulated. The danger of amassing mountains of useless data does indeed loom large. Even at present one can occasionally observe an enthusiastic attitude which appears to indicate the belief that we have at our avail all the data that we need-if we