By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ES MOINES -- Former Gov. Terry E. Branstad of Iowa endorsed Gov. George W. Bush of Texas today for the Republican Presidential nomination and said he would serve as a campaign adviser on farm issues.

Branstad had supported Lamar Alexander, the former Governor of Tennessee, who withdrew from the race last month after a poor showing in the Iowa straw poll.

At a news conference here, Bush said Branstad's endorsement provided a significant organizational boost to his bid for the nomination.

"Grass-roots politics determines the outcome of the Iowa caucuses," Bush said. "Terry Branstad is a well-seasoned veteran of that type of grass-roots politics."

After the news conference, Bush and Branstad went to the Clay County Fair in northwestern Iowa to repeat the announcement.

Branstad will be the chairman of Bush's national agricultural advisory committee. Bush said Branstad would "help me on agricultural matters, not only during the Iowa caucuses but after the Iowa caucuses."

Branstad met with Bush for close to two hours last week to work out the details of the endorsement. In his endorsement today, Branstad drew attention to Bush's positions on education and farm issues.

"He has the empathy and the compassion to help our farmers in these difficult times and to restore the markets we need," Branstad said.