3564

JOINT RESOLUTIONS

to report on and make recommendations for the improvement
and enhancement of vocational agricultural education
programs.

WHEREAS, The State of Maryland recognizes the importance of
assuring all students a broad range of educational choices; and

WHEREAS, Agriculture is one of the major industries in the
State of Maryland; and

WHEREAS, The cost of operating public educational
institutions has steadily risen over the years; and

WHEREAS, This cost increase has resulted in inadequate
agricultural programs at all educational levels of instruction;
and

WHEREAS, This cost increase has also led to an inadequate
supply of qualified agricultural teachers and other qualified
experts in the agriculture field; and

WHEREAS, The existence of adequate educational facilities in
vocational agriculture at the secondary level, postsecondary
technical training, and teacher training in agriculture at the
university level is a well recognized benefit to the agriculture
industry and the State's economy and society as a whole; and

WHEREAS, The State agencies having program responsibilities
in the agriculture field have been collecting data with little
regular or ongoing interaction with other agencies; consequently,
this data is often not uniform or consistent; and

WHEREAS, It is necessary to accurately project manpower
needs in the field of agriculture in order to improve the
planning of agricultural education programs; and

WHEREAS, There is a need to establish a statewide computer
based data network for compiling accurate employment statistics
in the agriculture field; and

WHEREAS, There is a need to provide sufficient funds to
support improvements and developments in the field of vocational
agriculture education and other agricultural education programs;
now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the
Governor is requested to establish a Committee to study existing
programs and policies concerning vocational agricultural
education; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Committee shall study, report on, and
make recommendations for the improvement and enhancement of
agricultural education programs at all educational levels; and be
it further