RESOURCE CHAEACT!RISTICS A14D UTILIZATION, INCOI~E
 AND L.VEL OF LIVING ITEMS, HURiL HOUSEHOLDS,
 NORTH AND WEST FWORIDA, 1956

 by

 L. A. Reuss and K. M. Gilbraith1



 Introduction


 Information concerning the people of an area, their resources, and

the way in which they use these resources is essential to a consideration of

low-income problem situations and solutions. Despite high levels of employ-

ment and incomes in industry and trade, incomes remain low for many farm and

rural nonfarm families in the South. Differences in current levels of health,

education, training, age, and capabilities of the population are contributing

factors as are limitations on land and capital resources.

 To help alleviate the low-income problem, Rural Development and

other programs oriented specifically to economic development through resource

use adjustments in low-income areas are being initiated by governmental and

civic organizations in many parts of the country. The successful development

and implementation of both local and national programs require more detailed

knowledge than is provided by usual sources of secondary data. To obtain

needed information, a project entitled "An Appraisal of the Economic

Characteristics and Problems of Low Income Rural Areas of North and West

Florida," was undertaken by the Department of Agricultural Economics, Florida

Agricultural Experiment Station, in cooperation with the Farm Economics

Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of

Agriculture,

 The first report originating from the project dealt with sources


 Agricultural Economists, Farm Economics Research Division,
Agricultural Research Service, U.S.D.A.

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