The Economic Research Service (ERS), originally established in 1961 under the authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627), was reestablished as an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture of September 30, 1981 (46 FR 47747), in response to Secretary's Memorandum 1000-1 of June 17, 1981, entitled “Reorganization of Department.” The mission of ERS is to provide economic and other social science information and analysis for public and private decisions on agriculture, food, natural resources, and rural America. Its primary customers are USDA policy officials and program administrators, the Office of the While House, Congress, and environmental, consumer, and rural public interest groups, including farm groups and industry.