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This analysis of the impact of a result demonstration educational program was made in an effort to achieve the following goals: (1) identification of the objectives of the educational program; (2) description of the program; (3) assessment of awareness of the program by target clientele; (4) measurement of the amount of change that takes place; and (5) determination of the amount of observed change which can be attributed to the action-educational program and what can be attributed to other known factors. This study is unique in two aspects: (1) the sample of interviewed farmers is one of the largest of any employed in demonstration farm research and represents the universe of dairy farmers in geographical areas immediately surrounding the demonstration farms; and (2) data were collected at two points in time--a benchmark survey of surrounding farmers was completed prior to the beginning of the educational program, and a terminal survey was conducted after the end of the program. The report contains the following chapters: I. Introduction; II. Review of Literature; III. Methodological and Theoretical Orientations; IV. Collection of Data; V. Program Inputs; VI. Methodological Tools; VII. Changes in Practices Adopted; VIII. Dairymen's Knowledge of the Program; IX. Relationship of Program to Change in Practice Usage; X. Summary and Conclusions; and XI. Bibliography. (DB)

The United States Training and Employment Service General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB), first published in 1947, has been included in a continuing program of research to validate the tests against success in many different occupations. The GATB consists of 12 tests which measure nine aptitudes: General Learning Ability; Verbal Aptitude; Numerical Aptitude; Spatial Aptitude; Form Perception; Clerical Perception; Motor Coordination; Finger Dexterity; and Manual Dexterity. The aptitude scores are standard scores with 100 as the average for the general working population, and a standard deviation of 20. Occupational norms are established in terms of minimum qualifying scores for each of the significant aptitude measures which, when combined, predict job performance. Cutting scores are set only for those aptitudes which aid in predicting the performance of the job duties of the experimental sample. The GATB norms described are appropriate only for jobs with content similar to that shown in the job description presented in this report. A description of the validation sample is included. (AG)

A study was conducted to determine the relationships between Grade A dairy producers' milk production levels and size of herd and their use of 21 milk production practices recommended by the University of Tennessee. The population consisted of 405 Grade A dairymen in 42 Tennessee counties. The extension agent in each county interviewed 10 or more dairymen. The 21 recommended milk production practices were classified into groups--herd management, breeding management, forage feeding, and concentrate feeding. Milk production levels were significantly related to 14 of the 21 recommended milk production practices. A significantly greater proportion of the producers in the high than in the low milk production group were using each of the 14 recommended practices. Size of herd was significantly related to 8 of the recommended practices. Size of herd was significantly related to only one group, herd management. Level of milk production was significantly related to the total number of recommended practices used. Size of herd was not significantly related to the total number of recommended practices used. (Author/KM)

A study was conducted to determine the association between county Extension agent effectiveness in conducting a dairy educational program and agent knowledge in dairying and related subjects. A secondary purpose was to determine the association of agent effectiveness scores and knowledge scores with selected independent variables classified in four subgroups--agent background and training, agent interest and attitudes, county situation, and work-related factors. Data were collected from 41 agents. Effectiveness ratings were determined by supervisory personnel and dairy specialists. A multiple-choice test was used to measure dairying knowledge and related subject matter, and an interest and attitude scale gave other measures. Among the findings from the testing of hypotheses were: (1) effectiveness ratings and knowledge test scores were inversely related to tenure; (2) more effective agents spent more time on group and mass media teaching methods and made more contacts with dairymen; and (3) more effective agents involved dairy specialists more frequently in their dairy educational work. Multiple correlations analysis indicated the most accurate predictors of effectiveness ratings and agent test scores. (Author/KM)

A study was conducted to: (1) determine the characteristics of Macon County manufacturing milk producers and their farms; (2) find out which research verified, recommended manufacturing milk production practices were being used by those in the different butterfat production thirds; and (3) try to establish which factors were influential in producer adoption of the practices. A random sample of 60 producers of the population of 571 was personally interviewed. A profile of the average Macon County manufacturing milk producer was compiled, and statistics concerning the adoption of practices relating to breeding and herd replacement, record keeping and use, feeding and feed production, health and sanitation, and general management were compiled. A comparison of the average high and low producer revealed that the former: (1) was slightly older; (2) was better known to the interviewer; (3) had about 39 percent greater income; (4) had considerably higher per cow butterfat and milk production averages for 1965; and (5) had 10 acres more cropland. A comparison of adoption practices showed that high producers had higher ratings on 17 of 23 practice studies and tended to feed a slightly higher protein ration and that fewer high producers had hay ground. "The regular income" was rated first by 88 percent among things liked about the occupation. Statistics on non-adoption and sources of dairying information were also compiled. (Author/KM)

The problems of commercial dairymen in northeastern Ohio, their sources of occupational information, and the relationships between their perception of needs and a professional's perception of their needs were studied. Questionnaires designed to assess these needs were mailed to 400 commercial dairymen and 141 professionals. Major problems, as seen by dairymen, were found to be breeding cows and heifers for high production, keeping cows healthy, and providing the right amount and kind of feed. Major problems of dairymen, as seen by professionals, are maintaining a labor supply, financing improvements, and manure handling and disposal. Sources that dairymen rely on for information are farm magazines, the county agent, the Extension specialist, veterinarians, and vocational agriculture instructors. (CK)

The purpose of this study was to measure the effectiveness of various newsletter formats in increasing knowledge among dairymen. The subject matter of the newsletter was harvesting, storing, and feeding of high-moisture corn. The universe of the study was the dairy farmers in seven counties who attended a five-week clinic relating to herd health and management. The dairymen in all counties took a pre-and post-test of multiple choice questions. The farmers in two counties served as a control group and did not receive newsletters. Four groups of dairymen selected at random in the other five counties received newsletters in one of the following formats: pictorial (one letter weekly for three weeks); outline (one letter weekly for three weeks); conventional paragraph (one letter weekly for three weeks); and pictorial (combination of three letters received at one time). There was no significant difference in knowledge gained among dairy farmers receiving the newsletter with different formats. There was a significant difference between dairymen who received the letters and those who did not: the ones who received them had higher knowledge scores. Younger dairymen showed a higher gain than older ones. Other individual variables were not related to knowledge gained. (author/mf)

This paper analyzed factors related to adoption of new farm practices by dairy farmers in two Pennsylvania counties in 1962 and 1966. (Of 638 farmers interviewed in 1962, 387 were still operating their farms in 1966.) The dependent variable was an index of 19 recommended farm practices, of which about half were being used in 1962. Twenty-one independent variables were used to measure social participation, personal characteristics, and structural factors of the farm operation. Statistical analysis in 1962 indicated that only four of these 24 variables (residence, farm machinery, participation in farm organizations, participation in agricultural extension programs) were significantly related to the dependent variable. In 1966, the mean index showed an increase of two practices. Four independent variables (age, residence, farm machinery, participation in agricultural extension programs) proved significant in 1966, accounting for 45% of the explained variance in farm practices. (Nine tables are included.) (author/ly)

IN AN ATTEMPT TO LEARN WHETHER THE HUMAN RELATIONS EMPHASIS IN A SERIES OF STUDY GROUPS INFLUENCED THE OPINIONS OF FARM OPERATOR PARTICIPANTS CONCERNING FARM LABOR, 61 OPERATORS WERE PRETESTED AND POSTTESTED WITH A 37 ITEM TEST ON WORK INCENTIVES AND MOTIVATION, PERCEPTION AND ATTITUDES, SALARY AND FRINGE BENEFITS, AND MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS AND PRACTICES. THESE FARMERS WERE RELATIVELY YOUNG AND WELL EDUCATED, HAD FAIRLY LARGE ENTERPRISES, AND EMPLOYED MANY LABORERS. THE FARMERS' MEAN SCORE ROSE FROM 64.1 PERCENT TO 71.5 PERCENT. POSITIVE CHANGES IN FARM LABOR OPINIONS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO TYPES OF FARMING (DAIRYMEN TENDED TO BE SURPASSED BY OTHERS), BUT NOT TO AGE, VALUE OF GROSS SALES, OR MAN DAYS OF LABOR EMPLOYED. THE DOCUMENT INCLUDES 13 TABLES, THE OPINION TEST, AND STATISTICS ON TEST ITEMS. (LY)

THE MOST FREQUENT METHOD OF GROUP FORMATION FOR INTENSIVE FARM MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS IN NEW YORK STATE HAS BEEN TO COMBINE ALL INTERESTED FARMERS IN LARGE GROUPS AT THE COUNTY EXTENSION HEADQUARTERS. THIS EXPERIMENT WAS SET UP TO STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TWO METHODS OF FORMING SMALL GROUPS--BY SOCIOMETRIC CHOICE OR SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS. ALL OTHER FACTORS, INCLUDING THE PROGRAM, WERE CONTROLLED. FOR THREE FACTORS THE TWO AREAS CHOSEN WERE NOT WELL MATCHED--MILK PER COW, GROSS FARM INCOME, AND SOCIAL PARTICIPATION. MEETINGS COVERED SUCH FARM MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS AS RECORD KEEPING, MACHINERY COST CONTROL, BUDGETING, FORAGE PRODUCTION, AND CROPPING ROTATION PLANS. THE OPERATORS IN THE SOCIOMETRIC GROUPS ATTENDED MEETINGS MUCH BETTER THAN THOSE IN EITHER THE SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS GROUPS OR THE COUNTY GROUP. THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE IN NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE AGENT. SOCIOMETRIC GROUPS APPEARED TO BE THE MORE EFFECTIVE WAY OF ORGANIZING GROUPS THAN THE SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS GROUPS BECAUSE (1) THE SOCIAL ORGANIZATION WAS COMPATIBLE WITH OBJECTIVES AND TASKS TO BE ACHIEVED AND (2) THE GROUP ORGANIZATION WAS COMPATIBLE WITH AND INTEGRATED INTO THE EXISTING SOCIAL STRUCTURE. (PT)

By random selection, 74 farm families in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, were interviewed to determine the use of recommended practices, interests of the farmers and their wives, and sources of information. Dairy farming was the major enterprise for 3/4 of the farmers. No Extension recommendations were used by 15% but 20% used seven or more of the nine recommendations. Farmers were most interested in learning about use of fertilizer, dairy herd management, milk marketing, and soil conservation; newsletters, visits from the county agent, weekly newspapers, and farm magazines were the most popular sources of information. High participation in Extension programs correlated with a larger herd, a larger farm, an older farmer, better farm business records, and a wife who participated. Farmers' wives were most interested in interior decorating and educational opportunities and careers for children. Wives preferred a newsletter and newspapers for information and were almost all very low Extension participators. Work off the farm occupied 24% of the farmers and 35% of the wives. (jf)

A LIST OF 12 CONCEPTS DEVELOPED FOR NEW YORK STATE IN 1958 SERVED AS GUIDES IN PLANNING AND DEVELOPING A COURSE OF STUDY AND TEACHING METHODS IN AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS FOR USE IN THE DAIRYING AREAS OF THE STATE. FORTY PERCENT OF THE TIME IS ALLOTTED TO THE SUBJECT IN AGRICULTURE 1 AND 2 AND 50 PERCENT IN DOUBLE-PERIOD AGRICULTURE 3 AND 4 SUBJECTS. IT WAS DESIGNED TO TRAIN STUDENTS IN MAKING THE DECISIONS AND PERFORMING THE OPERATIONS AND SKILLS NEEDED BY DAIRY FARM OPERATORS. THE MAJOR UNITS ARE--(1) FARM POWER AND MACHINERY, (2) FIELD MACHINERY, (3) FARM SHOP, (4) FARM BUILDINGS AND CONVENIENCES, (5) FARM ELECTRIFICATION, AND (6) SOIL AND WATER MANAGEMENT. THE LEVEL, NUMBER OF PERIODS, AND SEASON IS INDICATED FOR EACH SUBTOPIC. THE PROBLEM-SOLVING AND DEMONSTRATION METHODS OF TEACHING USED IN THIS SUBJECT ARE EXPLAINED. THE USE OF CHARTS AND PICTURES, CONSULTANTS, FIELD TRIPS, VISUAL AIDS, HOME ASSIGNMENTS, AND OTHER TEACHING TECHNIQUES ARE DISCUSSED. SECTIONS ON MANAGING THE AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS SHOP AND TEACHING SAFETY ARE INCLUDED. (EM)

FROM A LIST OF 2,260 BEGINNING DAIRY OPERATORS THE STRATIFIED RANDOM CLUSTER METHOD WAS USED TO SELECT APPROXIMATELY 10 PERCENT WHICH REPRESENTED 13 AGRICULTURAL REGIONS OF NEW YORK. THIS SAMPLE OF 223 OPERATORS WAS INTERVIEWED TO (1) DETERMINE THEIR PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS, (2) ASCERTAIN THEIR ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL WITH RESPECT TO SELECTED FARM BUSINESS FACTORS, (3) DETERMINE THEIR LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND FARM ORGANIZATIONS, (4) DETERMINE THE ESTABLISHMENT PATTERN THEY USED TO ATTAIN THEIR PRESENT STATUS, (5) DETERMINE NEEDED MODIFICATIONS IN AGRICULTURAL PROCEDURES, (6) DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY ADOPTED SELECTED PRACTICES, AND (7) IDENTIFY PROBLEMS THEY NEEDED ASSISTANCE WITH AND DETERMINE THEIR RELATIVE IMPORTANCE. DATA INDICATED (1) THEY HAD AN AVERAGE OF 12.4 YEARS OF EDUCATION, (2) THEY RANKED BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE COMMERCIAL DAIRYMAN IN BUSINESS SIZE, PRODUCTION, AND LABOR EFFICIENCY, BUT THERE WERE GREAT VARIATIONS AMONG RESPONDENTS, (3) MANY READ TRADE LITERATURE, SOUGHT ASSISTANCE FROM MANY SOURCES, AND BELONGED TO FARM ORGANIZATIONS, (4) THEY PREFERRED LEARNING ACTIVITIES IN WHICH THEY COULD PARTICIPATE, (5) THE MOST IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATION BEFORE OWNERSHIP OR PARTNERSHIP WAS FARM LABORER, (6) THEY NEEDED ASSISTANCE WITH MANY PROBLEMS, (7) THEY HAD NOT ADOPTED A NUMBER OF APPROVED PRACTICES, AND (8) THE MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED WERE IN FARM MANAGEMENT. (EM)

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY AND THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY CONDUCTED A FIVE YEAR (1961-66) AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROJECT IN TWO PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES. THIS PAPER REPORTED THE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS. USING THE CRITERION OF ADOPTION OF SELECTED AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES BY SURROUNDING FARMERS, THEY ATTEMPTED TO MEASURE THE INFLUENCE OF 17 DEMONSTRATION DAIRY FARMS. DATA ON GENERAL AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY, FARM MANAGEMENT SKILLS, FARM PRACTICE ADOPTION, PATTERNS OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL ACTIVITIES, INTERPERSONAL VISITING AND COMMUNICATION, AND ATTITUDES, GOALS, AND VALUES WERE GATHERED BY FIELD SURVEYS BEFORE AND AFTER THE ACTION PROGRAM. SOME OF THE FINDINGS INDICATED THAT THOSE MAKING THE MAJOR CHANGE IN RECOMMENDED PRACTICES WERE DAIRYMEN OTHER THAN THE INNOVATORS OR EARLY ADOPTERS, THAT THE GREATEST CHANGE TOOK PLACE AMONG THAT GROUP OF FARMERS WHO HAD THE GREATEST POTENTIAL. HOWEVER, WHILE THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM DID INFLUENCE CHANGES IN ADOPTION OF PRACTICES, MOST OF THE EXPLAINED VARIANCE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO SUCH EXTRANEOUS FACTORS AS INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS, RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PERSONS AND ORGANIZATIONS, LEVEL OF FARM TECHNOLOGY, AND VARYING CULTURAL CONDITIONS IN THE TWO COUNTIES. (THE DOCUMENT INCLUDES FOOTNOTES AND EIGHT TABLES.) THIS DOCUMENT WAS A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL SEMINAR ON ADULT EDUCATION, (CHICAGO, FEBRUARY 11-13, 1968). (LY)

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THIS 1956-60 LONGITUDINAL STUDY WAS TO COMPARE CHANGES IN FARM PRACTICES AND RELATED KNOWLEDGE AND IN INCOME AND RELATED BUSINESS FACTORS AMONG 87 PARTICIPANTS (DAIRYMEN) IN THE FARM MANAGEMENT PHASE OF THE NEW YORK STATE FARM AHD HOME MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, WITH THOSE OF A CONTROL GROUP OF 87 WHO DID NOT PARTICIPATE. IN 1956, THE PARTICIPANTS HAD AN AVERAGE AGE OF 43.6 YEARS, WITH GENERALLY A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION AND A HIGH LEVEL OF ORGANIZATIONAL PARTICIPATION. OF THE 11 VARIABLES ON WHICH BOTH GROUPS HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN MATCHED, ONLY EDUCATION, ORGANIZATIONAL PARTICIPATION, AND PERCENT SCORES ON AGRONOMY PRACTICES FOR HAY AND PASTURE DIFFERENTIATED SIGNIFICANTLY BETWEEN THEM. OF THE 25 ITEMS UNDER CHANGES IN KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE, THE PARTICIPANTS SIGNIFICANTLY SURPASSED THE CONTROLS ONLY ON EFFICIENT USE OF LABOR, USE OF INVENTORY INCREASE IN FIGURING LABOR INCOME, SIZE OF OPERATION, AND ACTUAL EFFICIENT USE OF LABOR AND CAPITAL. CHANGE ADVANTAGES OF PARTICIPANTS ON BUSINESS FACTORS AFFECTING LABOR INCOME RESULTED IN A AVERAGE INCOME GAIN SOMEWHAT GREATER THAN THAT OF NONPARTICIPANTS. (SEVERAL IMPLICATIONS FAVORABLE TO THE FARM MANAGEMENT PHASE OF THE PROGRAM WERE NOTED. ALSO INCLUDED ARE 13 TABLES, A GLOSSARY, APPENDIXES, AND A DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM OBJECTIVES, SUBJECT MATTER EMPHASIS, AND METHODS.) (LY)

Conducted in Nebraska and Missouri, this study compared the clientele of an area specialist dairy testing program with the clientele of generalized county based programs to determine significant differences and their implications. Comparisons were made by age, educational level, size of farm business, farm ownership, participation in short courses and workshops, innovativeness, farm practice score, attitudes toward credit, experience in dairy testing, farming experience, ranking of information sources, and attitudes toward the Cooperative Extension Service (CES). Combined data for both states showed that, compared to their counterparts in generalized county based programs, the area specialist clients were younger, operated smaller farms as measured by acreage, cows milked, and gross receipts, and ranked dairy specialists higher as information sources. (Author/LY)

This was a study to determine if individual linear programs could be made for a heterogeneous group of farmers with varied organizational problems; if extension agents could be trained to interview farmers and collect data sufficiently accurate for linear programing; and whether the results would be logical and acceptable to farm managers. Area extension agents in farm management received training in data collection, then selected and interviewed farmers who were assumed to have complete farm records, were planning changes, and would cooperate with the study. After a few farms had been programed and the results reported, the farmers were presented with two or more solutions. The first (Income over variable expenses) was based on the current farm organization; a modified matrix included one or more activities concerning special organizational questions asked by the farmers. Using these comparisons, farmers were in a strong position to make a decision. Findings on the value of linear programing, on agents as programers and interviewer-counselors, and on the acceptance of programing by farmers tended to be affirmative. (author/ly)

Dairy farmers (N=387) in two Pennsylvania counties were studied concerning their adoption of practices used on nearby demonstration farms. A total of 37 variables (including 11 "dummy variables") were used to measure personal characteristics, economic structures of farms, communication sources, and formal and informal participation. Factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed. Seven of the 37 variables accounted for 46% of the variance in adoption. Five of the seven variables (acreage farmed, farm equipment, participation in agricultural extension programs, participation in economic organizations, number of top twenty farmers talked to) were measures of formal participation, economic structure of farms, and communication sources. The farm equipment index explained over 20% of variance in adoption, which indicates that some processes are more applicable to larger, highly mechanized farms. None of the static personality characteristics was significant. (The document includes four tables, 48 references, and a brief research review.) (ly)

This document is an English-language abstract (approximately 1,500 words) of a comprehensive survey of education and training for agriculture in Australia. The present facilities are described, and then set against estimates of present and future needs. Constructive proposals are made as to how these needs can best be met by agricultural institutions of various types. Secondary schools, technical colleges and schools, institutes of technology, agricultural colleges, universities and agricultural extension services are all involved in agricultural education and training in Australia. At present, farming absorbs a relatively large proportion of those who leave school early with little formal education above the statutory minimum. As agriculture in the future will require higher education, potential farmers should be encouraged to get more training in schools that cater more to their needs. Sheep and wool subjects predominate as courses in the institutions offering agricultural courses. Australian agricultural schools are residential, with farms attached. The universities do not cater adequately to horticulture, dairying, conservation, and the agribusiness. (Author/GDB)

Dairymen and 4-H'ers are learning together. The 4-H Dairy Genetics Project" was planned to give youth a genetics program and give the farmers a review of the true genetic makeup of their herds. (MR)

Computers are a new way to help dairymen save time, work, and money. (MR)

A program of eight lessons to teach dairymen how to feed dairy cows to help them reach their genetic potential is described and evaluated. (MS)

DEVELOPED WITHIN A LARGER AND MORE INCLUSIVE FRAMEWORK, A METHOD OF IDENTIFYING COMPETENCIES AND INFORMATION ESSENTIAL TO OFF-FARM AGRICULTURE WORKERS WHO HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH FARMERS WAS DEMONSTRATED. UPON THE BASIS OF A REVIEW OF LITERATURE, A LIST OF 129 COMPETENCIES BELIEVED NECESSARY FOR THOSE EMPLOYED TO SELL, INSTALL, OR MAINTAIN BULK TANKS OR MILKING SYSTEMS, WAS PREPARED AS A QUESTIONNAIRE AND WAS COMPLETED BY 11 DAIRY INDUSTRY AUTHORITIES AND 88 MICHIGAN VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE TEACHERS. THE EXPERTS INDICATED THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF COMPETENCIES, WHILE TEACHERS INDICATED WHICH COMPETENCIES HAD BEEN TAUGHT DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE RESPONSES OF PANEL MEMBERS SHOWED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE METHOD FOR OBTAINING THE DESIRED INFORMATION BY IDENTIFYING CONSISTENT CLUSTERS OF COMPETENCIES IN THE AREAS OF FARMING, HUMAN RELATIONS, SALESMANSHIP, AND MECHANICS AROUND WHICH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS COULD BE ORGANIZED. OVER 60 PERCENT OF THE PANEL MEMBERS RATED NEARLY THREE-FOURTHS OF THE 129 COMPETENCIES AS VALUABLE AND INDICATED THAT OVER ONE-HALF OF THE COMPETENCIES WERE IMPORTANT DURING INITIAL EMPLOYMENT, WHILE SLIGHTLY FEWER THAN ONE-FOURTH OF THE COMPETENCIES WERE IMPORTANT DURING LATER STAGES WHEN WORKERS INSTALL, AS WELL AS SELL AND MAINTAIN, EQUIPMENT. TEACHERS INDICATED THAT FEW OF THE IDENTIFIED COMPETENCIES WERE BEING TAUGHT. THIS PH.D. THESIS, SUBMITTED TO MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, IS AVAILABLE AS 65-1741 FOR $3.25 ON MICROFILM AND FOR $11.25 AS XEROXED COPY FROM UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS, INC., 300 NORTH ZEEB ROAD, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48106. (JM)

THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE SITUATIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BEGINNING FARM OPERATORS WHICH INFLUENCE ESTABLISHMENT IN FARMING. KEY INFORMANTS IN EACH COUNTY OF NEW YORK IDENTIFIED 2,260 BEGINNING FARM OPERATORS WHO WERE STRATIFIED BY REGION AND DAIRY COWHERD SIZE. CLUSTER SAMPLES WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED. AN INTERVIEW SCHEDULE, BASED ON PREVIOUS RESEARCH, WAS FIELD TESTED, AND INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES WERE STANDARDIZED. DATA WERE ANALYZED WITH CROSS TABULATIONS, CORRELATION MATRICES, AND REGRESSION EQUATIONS. FINDINGS ESTABLISHED A NEED FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS FOR BEGINNING FARM OPERATORS WHICH SHOULD VARY TO MEET INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES. THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF FARMERS CAN BE PREDICTED UPON THE BASIS OF FARMER CHARACTERISTICS, ESECIALLY READING HABITS. DIRECT RELATIONSHIPS EXIST BETWEEN SPECIFIC NEEDS AND INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS. SEVERAL METHODS OF ATTAINING ESTABLISHMENT IN FARMING WERE IDENTIFIED. SPECIFIC EDUCATIONAL NEEDS WERE FOUND IN DAIRY HUSBANDRY. ALTHOUGH FARM MANAGEMENT WAS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT AREA OF NEED, SPECIFIC NEEDS WERE FOUND IN FARM MECHANICS AND CROP PRODUCTION. GOALS REPORTED BY BEGINNING FARM OPERATORS INDICATED THE NATURE OF FUTURE FARM OPERATIONS AND THE NATURE OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NEEDED. THIS PH.D. THESIS, WHICH WAS SUBMITTED TO CORNELL UNIVERSITY, IS AVAILABLE AS 65-3135 FOR $4.75 ON MICROFILM AND FOR $16.90 AS XEROXED COPY FROM UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS, INC., 300 NORTH ZEEB ROAD, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48106. (JM)

Dairymen learned to improve their milking techniques by utilizing a video tape recorder. (RK)