In 2001 and 2003, the United States National Committee for Crystallography (USNC/Cr) Education Subcommittee conducted two surveys to determine the content and extent of coverage of crystallography in university curricula, as well as the views of the broader crystallographic community on the status of crystallography education and training in the US, in both the physical and the life sciences. The policy document that resulted makes recommendations for a comprehensive re-evaluation of crystallography education, and it suggests ways to develop in the broader scientific community an appreciation for the value of crystallographic information. Moreover, the visual, aesthetic and quantitative nature of crystallography provides an excellent path to introduce science and scientific methods to the general population. These policies are directed towards our scientific colleagues, who may also be practicing crystallographers, as well as all education policy makers of major scientific societies. The ACA and the USNC/Cr intend that the document, which stands as the white paper on crystallography education and training, provides guidelines to professional societies and academic departments for crafting future crystallography curricula that adequately address the needs of the scientific community. The education committees of the ACA and the USNC/Cr will provide guidance and support to interested colleagues and policy makers who wish to put these recommendations into practice.