The purposes of the conferences were to: (1) provide a national

voice for small-scale, limited-resource farmers; (2) learn of pro-

blems that are most important to them; (3) provide the small-scale

farmer more direct access to Federal programs; and (4) identify

needed program improvements. Approximately eight small-scale farmer

delegates were selected by state and local organizations to repre-

sent the small-scale farmers in each state--a total of about 400

small-scale farm operators and spouses.

 Many of the concerns expressed by small-scale farmers were those

common to all farmers. They included: low prices for farm products,

increases in prices of inputs, and the problems for farmers posed

by inflation. Some of the problems identified were those which pri-

marily affect larger farm such as inheritance tax laws, restrictions

on irrigation acreage under the Reclamation Act, and the effects of

minimum wage laws and the Food Stamp Program on the cost and avail-

ability of hired labor.

 Other concerns were more unique to small farm operations. They

were lack of information about government services and programs,

need for managerial assistance, inability to compete for enough

land to provide a viable full-time farm operation, and the lack of

information on technology appropriate for small farms.

 As a follow-up to the conferences, the Rural Development Committee

in each state was asked to establish a Small Farm Task Force to

formulate programs at the state level. While land-grant university

research and extension personnel were not directly involved in the

small farm conferences, they are represented on the State Rural