Conventional strategies for developing component technologies are being challenged by the complexities of today's agricultural environment. The needs for support of adaptive research, for sufficient field sites to evaluate location specificity of technologies, and for testing components as parts of total farm systems are not easily met within the confines of the experiment station. On-farm research strategies involve the farmer and rancher in project design, field implementation, collection and evaluation of data, and interpretation of results. Farmer presentations in extension meetings and field tours involve these cooperators in the demonstration and technology sharing process. Farmers in Nebraska and Wisconsin have applied this process to research nitrogen levels in continuous and rotated cereals, the use of allelopathic chemicals from rye (Secale cereale L.) to reduce herbicide costs in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production, on other alternative weed management strategies, and strip cropping to reduce soil erosion and meet government program compliance requirements. Useful in a wide range of ecological and economic circumstances, participatory methods using farming systems research and extension strategies have global applications.

Basic, applied, operational, and human activity research systems represent an array of inquiry methodologies. Techniques or methods within each methodology exhibit similar functions, although purposes and results of each inquiry process differ. Appreciation and possible use of the entire inquiry process focuses attention on scale questions within a hierarchy, and encourages use of all methodologies to enhance resolution of diverse situations. Systems inquiry recognizes the need for weed scientists and agriculturists to participate in activities ranging between reductionist science and human action research.

Agricultural scientists need to improve their communication with policy makers. Improving communication with federal policy makers will require new tactics by the research and extension community. A discussion on who is effectively communicating with policy makers, how agricultural policy is made, and what action is needed to improve communication is provided.