FARM LABOR OPINIONS OF FARMERS PARTICIPATING IN FARM LABOR STUDY GROUPS IN NINE COUNTIES IN NEW YORK STATE. SPECIAL REPORT, NUMBER 14.

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)