Purposes.—

Sec. 501. Purposes.—The purpose of this title is to encourage and foster a balanced national development that provides opportunities for increased numbers of Americans to work and enjoy a high quality of life dispersed throughout our Nation by providing the essential knowledge necessary for successful programs of rural development. It is further the purpose of this title (a) to provide multistate regional agencies, States, counties, cities, multicounty planning and development of districts, businesses, industries, organizations, Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations or other federally recognized Indian tribal groups, and others involved with public services and investments in rural areas or that provide or may provide employment in these areas the best available scientific, technical, economic, organizational, environmental, and management information and knowledge useful to them, and to assist and encourage them in the interpretation and application of this information to practical problems and needs in rural development; (b) to provide research and investigations in all fields that have as their purpose the development of useful knowledge and informât ion to assist those planning, currying out, managing, or investing in facilities, services, businesses, or other enterprises, public and private, that may contribute to rural development: (c) to enhance the capabilities of colleges and universities to perform the vital public service roles of research, transfer, and practical application of knowledge in support of rural development; (d) to expand research on innovative approaches to small farm management and technology and extend training and technical assistance to small farmers so that they may fully utilize the best available knowledge on sound economic approaches to small farm operations.