identified and prioritized a large number of research topics, 2/
Initial thrusts are focusing on the relationships between farm size

and community viability.

 The Northeast Center is working with a committee of Experiment

Station, Extension, SEA, and ESCS representatives to develop a

master program of agricultural systems for small farms in the north-

east. The aim is to provide an educational/technical package

designed for location-specific small farm operations. Two subourm-

mittees were appointed in July 1979 to develop integrated regional

research and extension programs, one in the horticultural area and

the other dealing with dairy-livestock-forage production systems.

 The Southern Center has issued three publications relating to small

farms. The first was an attempt to develop a better understanding of

the small farm, its problems, and efforts to improve its situation. 8

A second publication was an annotated bibliography on the role of
 9/
communication and attitudes relating to small farms, and the third

was a companion synthesis report of this research material. 0/


 SNorth Central Regional Center for Rural Development, "Small Farms
 Research Priorities in the North Central Region," Iowa State
 University, Ames, Iowa (February 1979).

 Southern Rural Development Center, "Small Farms," Rural Development
 Research and Education, Vol. 1, No. 4, Mississippi State, Miss.
 (Summer, 1977).

 SSouthern Rural Development Center, Small Farm Operations: The
 Role of Communication and Attitudes in Small Farm Programs, SRDC
 Bibliography Series No. 4, Mississippi State, Miss. (Septenber 1977).

10 Southern Rural Development Center, The Role of Ccmmunication and
 Attitudes in Small Farm Programs, SRDC Synthesis Series No. 4
 Mississippi State, Miss. (August 1978).