The survey was updated two years later by another survey, the
results of which were presented at the November 1981 Beltsville
Agricultural Research Center (BARC) special symposium,
"Research for Small Farms," and was published as part of the Pro-
ceedings of the Special Symposium: Research for Small Farms,
ARS, Miscellaneous Publication Number 1422, July 1982.

 The new survey identified the following points:
 1. The numbers of small farms in the NER will continue to
 increase by 8-10% by 1990.
 2. In 1981, approximately two of three NER small farms
 engaged in forage/livestock and one of three in horti-
 cultural enterprises. Expected by 1990 is an approximate
 10% shift from forage/livestock to horticulture; 56% of
 small farms engaged in forage/livestock, 39% in horti-
 culture and 5% in specialty crops.
 3. There is a continuing need for the close working relation-
 ship of ES county agents and researchers.
 The following observations are a combination of my five years
experience as the NER small farm research coordinator.

 1. Assets of the Department that are now in place, i.e.,
 Cooperative Extension Service county agents and other
 Departmental personnel stationed at the state and county
 levels are the best sources of information for identifying
 the needs, the composition and the trends of small-scale
 farm operators.
 2. There is great need for a closer working relationship be-
 tween Departmental personnel at the national level and
 between the county, state and Federal levels.
 3. The success of the NER extramural small farms research
 program is indicative of a potential need for a nationwide
 program.
 4. Identifying, coordinating, and utilizing communications
 among all involved entities-Federal, state, public and
 private sectors-is the key to the success of systems.

 The Small Farm Resources Development Work Group
(SFRDWG) was established on March 25, 1984 by Dr. Orville G.
Bentley, Assistant Secretary, Science and Education, USDA. The
creation of the SFRDWG is a new USDA initiative to assist small
scale agriculture; it is a new approach and it presents the oppor-
tunity for agricultural systems to be devised and implemented.
Responsibilities of the Work Group are the following:


 1. Provide program and policy leadership and facilitate
 communications for USDA on Small Farm Resources
 Development;
 2. Identify existing programs and activities currently support-
 ing small farm operators and determine actions needed to
 strengthen support to small farm operators and their com-
 munities;
 3. Establish an orderly method to provide technical assistance
 and information to small farm operators;
 4. Recommend actions USDA should take to further address
 this national need; and
 5. Review and implement, wherever feasible, the pertinent
 recommendations filed by the Task Force on Black Farm
 Ownership, the Task Force on Handicapped Farmers, the
 New Full-Time Family Farmer and Rancher Development
 Project, and other relevant studies.
 The Work Group membership is comprised of representatives
from the five agencies of Science and Education and all other
agencies of the Department who have an interest in this Depart-
mental thrust. Meetings have been held on a monthly basis since
June 1984. While this effort is relatively young, new ideas and
approaches are emerging from the meetings and enthusiasm is
very evident.
 The following accomplishments are indicative of some of the
Work Group's efforts.
 1. The exploration of new approaches for communicating in-
 formation.
 2. A memorandum was circulated through the Food and
 Agriculture Councils (FAC) FACTS, Issue Number 47,
 September 15, 1984, to state and local FAC's announcing
 the establishment of SFRDWG.
 3. At the most recent SFRDWG, information and discussion
 focused on the current status of the Department relative to
 recommendations by the Task Force on Black Farm Owner-
 ship.
 4. Ways were identified in which the Department could func-
 tion more effectively to assist operators of small farms.
 What does this all mean? It means challenges and oppor-
tunities for all who are involved.
 In Washington, the Department is attempting to aid small
farmers across the face of the country. It is hoped that this effort
will touch the lives of the small farmers in the Caribbean. There
are potential avenues of opportunity yet to be identified and this
is our mutual task today--to find workable agricultural systems.


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