OTSEGO COUNTY EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM FOR TESTING METHODS OF FORMING FARM MANAGEMENT STUDY GROUPS, A PROGRESS REPORT. EXTENSION STUDY, NUMBER 8.

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)