Excerpts from the Preface: Technological advance has been considered a source of progress over the centuries. In recent times, we have become increasingly aware of the indirect and delayed impacts of such advance on society. Frequently, they can be undesired and unintended. A systematic study of these impacts is coming to be known as "technological assessment." This volume is the proceedings of an Economic Research Service (ERS) workshop on technology assessment conducted during April 20-22, 1976, at the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, Md. Most of the participants in the workshop were ERS professional staff, but the program included contributors and representatives from the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), Congressional Research Service (CRS), National Science Foundation (NSF) , Midwest Research Institute, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Foreign Agricultural Service. Two major purposes of the workshop were to facilitate improved communication among those within ERS engaged in technology assessment, and contribute to improved selection, planning, coordination, and conduct of the technology assessment components of our work.