ADDITIONAL WORK NEEDED

 As noted in the proceeding section, there have been several work-

shops and projects conducted recently for the purpose of identifying

research, educational, and programmatic needs of small-scale fanrers

in the thited States. Although not claimed as a definitive list of

needs, the following categories have been compiled as broadly repre-

sentative of the major small farm issues and needs which have been

articulated or identified.

 Research

Characteristics of Small Farms

 The report of the ESCS small farm workshop noted that "the most

pressing problem in small farm research is the lack of information

about characteristics and goals of the small farm population." 18/

Population data bases provide information on income, employment, and

characteristics of families and individuals, but they give very

limited information on farming. Agricultural data bases offer de-

tailed information on farms but only limited information on the

characteristics of farm families.

 Areas of needed research under this problem area include:

 (a) Total available resource base (human, physical, economic).

 (b) Types and numbers of small farms.

 (c) Total economic contributions of all family members to the

 farm and the household.

 (d) Consumption and family living expenditure patterns.


1/ U.S. Department of Agriculture, p. cit., p. 2.