Despite the growing need for increased marketing research, some inherent difficulties constrain the commitment of resources. These relate to the relative newness of the field of marketing compared with production, the fact that benefits from marketing research are generally not as directly visible to beneficiaries as benefits from some other types of agricultural research, and the interrelated nature and complexity of the marketing system. Nevertheless, the case can be communicated more effectively. An initial high priority goal is a federally funded program of competitive institutional and individual grants for research and development in food and fiber marketing systems.
