VPRS 8643 Subject Card Index (Plant Services Group 1976-1980; Industry-Extension-Education Program 1980-1983)

In 1976 the Department of Agriculture (VA 681) operated under a group structure with five major groups, one of which was the Plant Services Group (PSG). PSG was further divided into three divisions or branches: Plant Industries, Plant Research and Plant Standards.In 1980 the Department reorganised into a program based structure. Plant Industries and Plant Standards became divisions of a new program to which was also added Animal Industries (from the former Animal Services Group (ASG)), and Extension Services and Agricultural Education divisions and Economics Branch (from the former Extension, Education and Economic Services Group (EEESG)). The name of the new program was not clear but in 1980 it appears to have been known as the Industry-Extension-Education program (IEEP).In 1983, further restructuring led to all functions being incorporated into new branches which were Crop Industries Services, Livestock Industry Services and Corporate Services programs. The Agricultural Education function was assumed by VA 714 Education Department.This series indexes files of the PSG for the period 1976 to 1980 and files of the IEEP from 1980 to 1983. It also indexes files of the divisions which joined the Plant Services divisions in the new program in 1980 which were created before 1980. It has not been established if all such files are indexed in this series. It is probable that entries for relevant current files were added to index cards in 1980.ContentsThe files indexed by this series were created in an annual single number sequence using numbers reserved by the Central Administration Registry which commenced at 5000 each year. In some years files in the 6000's and 7000's were created. The files and control records were created and maintained separate from the central registry.Between 1976 and 1980, files of the ASG and EEESG were created separately to the Central Registry and the PSG files.From approximately October 1980 all files of the new Industry-Extension-Education program commenced to be created within the same sequence as the former PSG files. Some files of the former ASG and EEESG for the period 1976 to 1980 were added to the subject index cards in this series. These file numbers were identified by the inclusion of the letter "S" in the file number following the year identifier, for example 79S/365. Those files were not in archival custody as at January 1993.