HDR1012000170050815971500FARM LABOR                                             
Farm                                                                            
Labor                                                                           
                                                                                
National                                                                        
Agricultural                                                                    
Statistics                                                                      
Service                                                                         
                                                                                
USDA                                                                            
Washington, D.C.                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
Released August 15, 1997, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service       
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.  For     
information on "Farm Labor" call Eddie Oaks at (202) 690-3228, office hours     
7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.                                                      
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
All Hired Workers Up 5 Percent, Wages Up 5 Percent From Last July               
                                                                                
There were 1.41 million hired workers on the Nation's farms and ranches during  
the week of July 6-12, 1997, 5 percent more than last year. There were 1.07     
million hired directly by farm operators.  Agricultural service employees on    
farms and ranches made up the remaining 340,000 workers.  Migrant workers       
accounted for 10.8 percent of the hired workforce, compared to 13.1 percent a   
year ago.                                                                       
                                                                                
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $6.90 per hour       
during the July 1997 survey week, up 35 cents from a year earlier.  Field       
workers received an average of $6.45 per hour, up 29 cents.  Livestock workers  
earned $6.54 per hour compared with $6.20 a year earlier.                       
                                                                                
During the survey week of July 6-12, 1997, dry weather reduced topsoil moisture 
from Iowa and Missouri eastward to the Middle Atlantic region.  Warm, dry       
weather provided ideal weather for winter wheat harvest in an area extending    
from Colorado eastward to Indiana.  Meanwhile, beneficial rains dampened the    
northern Corn Belt.  Showers also occurred in the Northwest.  On the Plains,    
scattered thunderstorms caused only brief winter wheat harvest delays.  Ideal   
harvest conditions prevailed on the central High Plains, although long-term     
drought persisted.  Across the Nation's southern States, near-normal            
temperatures and occasional rainfall prevailed.  Cool air cloaked the Midwest   
and Northeast.  Beneficial showers fell along the northern tier of States in the
eastern United States.  Late in the week, scattered, locally severe             
thunderstorms hit the Central States, but in the central Corn Belt little rain  
was received.  Temperatures were seasonable and favorable for crop development  
throughout the East and South.  In California, field activities progressed under
normal weather conditions in most areas.  Small grain harvest was nearly        
complete as harvested land was being prepared for double cropping.  Sugar beet  
harvest was progressing normally.  Cotton growers were continuing pesticide     
treatments.  Some early plantings of corn were cut for silage.  Field corn      
harvest was underway in the Imperial Valley.  Fruit, melon, and citrus harvest  
continued in the northern San Joaquin Valley.  Vegetable harvest progressed in  
the coastal areas.  Frequent rainfall delayed hay baling and other fieldwork in 
some areas of Florida; however, tobacco harvest was active.  Harvesting of      
summer vegetables for local markets continued.  In Texas, irrigation resumed in 
the Plains and small grain harvest reached full speed.  Haying activity slowed  
in wetter areas.  Vegetable harvest in the High Plains continued with some      
delays early in the week due to wet conditions.                                 
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
Sp Sy 8 (8-97)                                                                  
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
      Farm Labor:  Employment and Wage Rates, United States,                    
               July 6-12, 1997, with Comparisons 1/                             
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             :   July 7-13,   :   April 6-12   :   July 6-12,   
       Farm Employment       :      1996      :      1997      :      1997      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             :                      1,000                       
                             :                                                  
Hired Workers                :     1,015              809            1,068      
  Expected to be Employed    :                                                  
    150 Days or More         :       652             *655              689      
    149 Days or Less         :       363             *154              379      
                             :                                                  
Agricultural Services        :                                                  
  Workers Working on Farms   :       331              207              340      
                             :                                                  
Hired Farm & Service Workers :     1,346            1,016            1,408      
                             :                                                  
                             :                                                  
                             :                     Percent                      
                             :                                                  
Migrant Workers Percent of   :                                                  
 Hired Farm & Service Workers:      13.1              6.3             10.8      
                             :                                                  
                             :                                                  
                             :                  Hours per Week                  
                             :                                                  
Hours Worked                 :                                                  
 Hired                       :      40.9            *40.5             40.9      
                             :                                                  
                             :                                                  
                             :                 Dollars per Hour                 
                             :                                                  
Wage Rates for               :                                                  
 All Hired Workers 2/ 3/     :      6.55            *7.04             6.90      
                             :                                                  
Type of Worker               :                                                  
 Field & Livestock Combined  :      6.17            *6.59             6.47      
   Field                     :      6.16            *6.64             6.45      
   Livestock                 :      6.20            *6.40             6.54      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   Revised.                                                                    
1/  Excludes AK.                                                                
2/  Benefits, such as housing and meals, are provided some workers but the      
    values are not included in the wage rates.                                  
3/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.                                      
                Hired Workers:  Number and Hours Worked by Region               
                      and United States, July 6-12, 1997 1/                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                             Hired                             
                :---------------------------------------------------------------
      U.S.      :               :    Expected to be Employed    :               
       and      :    Number     :-------------------------------:    Number     
    Region 2/   :      of       :   150 Days    :   149 Days    :   of hours    
                :    Workers    :    or More    :    or Less    :    Worked     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :     --------------- 1,000 --------------       Hours per Week 
                :                                                               
Northeast I     :        49              35             14            37.2      
Northeast II    :        48              33             15            46.0      
                :                                                               
Appalachian I   :        67              26             41            38.3      
Appalachian II  :        39              16             23            30.7      
                :                                                               
Southeast       :        48              33             15            37.2      
FL              :        40              36              4            41.5      
                :                                                               
Lake            :        70              43             27            35.1      
                :                                                               
Cornbelt I      :        65              36             29            33.2      
Cornbelt II     :        37              29              8            33.5      
                :                                                               
Delta           :        50              36             14            41.9      
                :                                                               
Northern Plains :        51              35             16            43.0      
                :                                                               
Southern Plains :        82              54             28            44.3      
                :                                                               
Mountain I      :        25              17              8            41.6      
Mountain II     :        30              21              9            49.5      
Mountain III    :        25              17              8            41.2      
                :                                                               
Pacific         :       108              52             56            39.9      
CA              :       227             164             63            46.3      
                :                                                               
HI              :         7               6              1            37.6      
                :                                                               
US 3/           :     1,068             689            379            40.9      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.                                      
2/  Region map on page 13.                                                      
3/  Excludes AK.                                                                
      Hired Workers:  Wage Rates for Type of Workers and All Hired Workers      
                 by Region and United States, July 6-12, 1997 1/                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :               Type of Worker               :                  
      U.S.      :--------------------------------------------:  Wage Rates for  
       and      :              :              :Field & Lvstk :All Hired Workers 
    Region 2/   :    Field     :  Livestock   :   Combined   :                  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                       Dollars per Hour                        
                :                                                               
Northeast I     :     6.99           6.41           6.81             7.15       
Northeast II    :     6.29           5.71           6.10             6.56       
                :                                                               
Appalachian I   :     5.62           6.67           5.77             5.87       
Appalachian II  :     5.65           5.45           5.60             5.80       
                :                                                               
Southeast       :     5.92           6.08           5.95             6.46       
FL              :     6.71           6.60           6.69             7.60       
                :                                                               
Lake            :     6.56           6.10           6.35             6.72       
                :                                                               
Cornbelt I      :     6.70           7.84           6.95             7.63       
Cornbelt II     :     6.93           6.65           6.82             7.17       
                :                                                               
Delta           :     5.67           6.42           5.86             6.23       
                :                                                               
Northern Plains :     6.95           6.99           6.96             7.48       
                :                                                               
Southern Plains :     5.60           6.17           5.83             6.32       
                :                                                               
Mountain I      :     5.92           6.39           6.03             6.22       
Mountain II     :     5.88           6.69           6.00             6.33       
Mountain III    :     6.30           6.21           6.29             6.99       
                :                                                               
Pacific         :     6.83           8.54           6.93             7.33       
CA              :     6.74           7.43           6.80             7.24       
                :                                                               
HI              :     9.11            3/            9.10            10.34       
                :                                                               
US 4/           :     6.45           6.54           6.47             6.90       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.                                      
2/  Region map on page 13.                                                      
3/  Insufficient data.                                                          
4/  Excludes AK.                                                                
                Hired Workers:  Number and Hours Worked by Region               
                     and United States, April 6-12, 1997 1/                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                             Hired                             
                :---------------------------------------------------------------
      U.S.      :               :    Expected to be Employed    :               
       and      :    Number     :-------------------------------:    Number     
    Region 2/   :      of       :   150 Days    :   149 Days    :   of Hours    
                :    Workers    :    or More    :    or Less    :    Worked     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :      -------------- 1,000 --------------       Hours per Week 
                :                                                               
Northeast I     :       40              31               9            41.0      
Northeast II    :       41             *32              *9            40.7      
                :                                                               
Appalachian I   :       38              29               9            41.4      
Appalachian II  :       25              17               8           *34.1      
                :                                                               
Southeast       :       43              35               8            33.8      
FL              :       60              52               8            41.0      
                :                                                               
Lake            :       63              50              13            33.5      
                :                                                               
Cornbelt I      :       55              45              10            35.7      
Cornbelt II     :       27              20               7            36.2      
                :                                                               
Delta           :       39              32               7            38.7      
                :                                                               
Northern Plains :       27              24               3           *43.0      
                :                                                               
Southern Plains :       55              44              11            40.6      
                :                                                               
Mountain I      :       20              16               4            50.8      
Mountain II     :       22              16               6           *40.8      
Mountain III    :       16              14               2            43.2      
                :                                                               
Pacific         :       61              46              15           *42.3      
CA              :      171             147              24            45.1      
                :                                                               
HI              :        6               5               1            37.6      
                :                                                               
US 3/           :      809            *655            *154           *40.5      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   Revised                                                                     
1/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.                                      
2/  Region map on page 13.                                                      
3/  Excludes AK.                                                                
       Hired Workers:  Wage Rates for Type of Worker and All Hired Workers      
                By Region and United States, April 6-12, 1997 1/                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :               Type of Worker               :                  
      U.S.      :--------------------------------------------:  Wage Rates for  
       and      :              :              :Field & Lvstk :All Hired Workers 
    Region 2/   :    Field     :  Livestock   :   Combined   :                  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                       Dollars per Hour                        
                :                                                               
Northeast I     :     7.11           5.67           6.59             7.22       
Northeast II    :     6.62           5.81          *6.27            *6.99       
                :                                                               
Appalachian I   :    *6.04           6.85          *6.28            *6.49       
Appalachian II  :     5.69           6.28          *5.86            *6.28       
                :                                                               
Southeast       :    *6.14           5.70          *6.02            *6.59       
FL              :    *6.51           6.30          *6.49             7.19       
                :                                                               
Lake            :     7.50           6.56           6.91             7.31       
                :                                                               
Cornbelt I      :     7.28           7.47           7.33             7.91       
Cornbelt II     :     6.76           6.43           6.57             6.64       
                :                                                               
Delta           :    *5.91          *6.33          *6.02             6.50       
                :                                                               
Northern Plains :     7.96           6.61          *7.07            *7.72       
                :                                                               
Southern Plains :     5.37           5.78           5.57             5.98       
                :                                                               
Mountain I      :     6.59           4.95           5.65             5.94       
Mountain II     :    *6.58          *5.99          *6.40            *6.95       
Mountain III    :     5.78           5.90           5.81             6.24       
                :                                                               
Pacific         :     6.71          *7.64          *6.88             7.36       
CA              :     6.90           8.06           6.99             7.35       
                :                                                               
HI              :     8.81            3/            8.82            *9.98       
                :                                                               
US 4/           :    *6.64          *6.40          *6.59            *7.04       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   Revised.                                                                    
1/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.                                      
2/  Region map on page 13.                                                      
3/  Insufficient data.                                                          
4/  Excludes AK.                                                                
                Hired Workers:  Number and Hours Worked by Region               
                      and United States, July 7-13, 1996 1/                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                             Hired                             
                :---------------------------------------------------------------
      U.S.      :               :    Expected to be Employed    :               
       and      :    Number     :-------------------------------:    Number     
    Region 2/   :      of       :   150 Days    :   149 Days    :   of Hours    
                :    Workers    :  or More 3/   :  or Less 3/   :    Worked     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :     --------------- 1,000 --------------       Hours per Week 
                :                                                               
Northeast I     :        49             34              15            39.1      
Northeast II    :        43             31              12            41.9      
                :                                                               
Appalachian I   :        57             26              31            32.4      
Appalachian II  :        37             15              22            28.6      
                :                                                               
Southeast       :        30             18              12            39.6      
FL              :        43             38               5            37.7      
                :                                                               
Lake            :        81             51              30            35.5      
                :                                                               
Cornbelt I      :        54             31              23            31.8      
Cornbelt II     :        46             24              22            37.5      
                :                                                               
Delta           :        40             31               9            45.2      
                :                                                               
Northern Plains :        43             24              19            49.8      
                :                                                               
Southern Plains :        70             50              20            45.9      
                :                                                               
Mountain I      :        30             22               8            48.3      
Mountain II     :        21             14               7            47.8      
Mountain III    :        20             17               3            50.9      
                :                                                               
Pacific         :       109             55              54            40.6      
CA              :       235            165              70            44.7      
                :                                                               
HI              :         7              6               1            36.1      
                :                                                               
US 3/           :     1,015            652             363            40.9      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.                                      
2/  Region map on page 13.                                                      
3/  Excludes AK.                                                                
       Hired Workers:  Wage Rates for Type of Worker and All Hired Workers      
                 By Region and United States, July 7-13, 1996 1/                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :               Type of Worker               :                  
      U.S.      :--------------------------------------------:  Wage Rates for  
       and      :              :              :Field & Lvstk :All Hired Workers 
    Region 2/   :    Field     :  Livestock   :   Combined   :                  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                       Dollars per Hour                        
                :                                                               
Northeast I     :     6.80           5.97           6.55             6.98       
Northeast II    :     6.28           5.94           6.16             6.51       
                :                                                               
Appalachian I   :     5.36           6.09           5.53             5.73       
Appalachian II  :     5.35           6.04           5.46             5.90       
                :                                                               
Southeast       :     5.62           5.25           5.58             5.85       
FL              :    *6.45           7.10          *6.52            *7.39       
                :                                                               
Lake            :     6.51           6.02           6.31             6.57       
                :                                                               
Cornbelt I      :     6.70           6.65           6.69             7.09       
Cornbelt II     :     5.97           5.48           5.84             6.34       
                :                                                               
Delta           :     5.96           5.75           5.91             6.13       
                :                                                               
Northern Plains :     6.30           5.78           6.20             6.46       
                :                                                               
Southern Plains :     5.17           5.84           5.36             6.01       
                :                                                               
Mountain I      :     6.06           5.75           5.90             5.94       
Mountain II     :     5.88           6.05           5.92             6.27       
Mountain III    :     5.80           5.99           5.87             6.39       
                :                                                               
Pacific         :     6.30           8.20           6.43             6.78       
CA              :     6.33           7.27           6.42             6.82       
                :                                                               
HI              :     8.74            3/            8.74             9.85       
                :                                                               
US 4/           :     6.16           6.20           6.17             6.55       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   Revised.                                                                    
1/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.                                      
2/  Region map on page 16.                                                      
3/  Insufficient data.                                                          
4/  Excludes AK.                                                                
    Field and Livestock Workers Combined:  Wage Rates, by Type                  
               of Farm, by Region and 48 States 1/                              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :       July 7-13, 1996         :       July 6-12, 1997         
                :---------------------------------------------------------------
    Region 2/   : Field : Other :L'stk &:  All  : Field : Other :L'stk &:  All  
                : Crops : Crops :Poultry: Farms : Crops : Crops :Poultry: Farms 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                       Dollars per Hour                        
                :                                                               
Northeast       :  6.46    6.40    5.61    6.04    7.54    6.42    5.98    6.29 
Appalachian     :  5.45    5.16    6.38    5.61    5.51    6.27    6.40    5.88 
Southeast       :  4.66    5.43    5.55    5.25    5.57    6.72    6.10    6.36 
Lake            :  6.50    6.62    5.56    6.31    6.84    7.02    6.10    6.35 
Cornbelt        :  6.34    5.89    5.85    6.03    7.02     3/     7.10    7.08 
Delta           :  5.02    4.97    6.19    5.91    5.61    5.47    6.42    5.86 
Northern Plains :  6.01    6.35    5.78    6.20    6.93     3/      3/     6.96 
Southern Plains :  5.60    5.46    5.53    5.52    5.18    5.79    6.17    5.83 
Mountain        :  5.31    5.53    6.03    5.64    6.23    6.04    6.34    6.19 
Pacific         :  6.11    6.41    7.43    6.47    7.48    7.27    8.14    7.39 
48 States       :  5.71    6.20    6.03    6.17    6.10    6.63    6.45    6.47 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
                                                                                
    All Hired Workers:  Wage Rates, by Economic Class of Farm                   
                    by Region and 48 States 1/                                  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         :         July 7-13, 1996           :         July 6-12, 1997          
  Region :----------------------------------------------------------------------
    2/   : Gross Value Sales-$1000's  : All  : Gross Value Sales-$1000's  : All 
         : <40  :40-99 :100-249 :250+ :Farms : <40 :40-99 :100-249 : 250+ :Farms
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         :                           Dollars per Hour                           
         :                                                                      
N. East  : 7.15   6.33    6.14   7.01   6.75   6.09   5.57   6.61   7.73   6.83 
Appal.   : 5.84   5.57    5.93   5.75   5.79   5.26   7.07   5.63   5.99   5.85 
S. East  : 7.40   6.00    5.25   6.42   5.40   6.54   5.89   6.58    3/    7.01 
Lake     : 5.90   5.97    5.45   7.19   6.57   5.78    3/    5.85   6.63   6.72 
Cornbelt : 6.56   6.31    6.12   7.05   6.71   7.01    3/    7.15   7.57   7.46 
Delta    : 5.47   5.58    5.08   6.38   6.13   6.10   6.17   5.63   6.53   6.23 
N. Plains: 6.24   5.39    6.48   6.74   6.46   6.66    3/    6.10   7.61   7.48 
S. Plains: 6.46   6.51    5.68   5.79   6.01   5.40   6.31   6.22   6.67   6.32 
Mountain : 6.12   4.86    5.48   6.65   6.16   6.35   6.79   6.11   6.60   6.49 
Pacific  : 6.46   7.06    6.53   6.84   6.81   7.02   6.67   6.91   7.32   7.27 
48 States: 6.42   6.01    5.59   6.71   6.55   6.06   6.42   6.26   7.21   6.90 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.                                      
2/  Regions consist of the following States.                                    
      Northeast: CT, DE, MD, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT.                    
      Appalachian:  KY, NC, TN, VA, WV.                                         
      Southeast:  AL, FL, GA, SC.                                               
      Lake:  MI, MN, WI.                                                        
      Cornbelt:  IA, IL, IN, MO, OH.                                            
      Delta:  AR, LA, MS.                                                       
      Northern Plains:  KS, NE, ND, SD.                                         
      Southern Plains:  OK, TX.                                                 
      Mountain:  AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY.                                
      Pacific:  CA, OR, WA.                                                     
      48 States:  All States, excluding AK and HI.                              
3/  Insufficent data.                                                           
            Field and Livestock Workers: Distribution                           
               by Type of Farm, 48 States 1/ 2/ 3/                              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Type of      :     July 7-13,      :  April 6-12,     :   July 6-12,     
        Farm        :        1996         :       1997       :       1997       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :          Percent of Field and Livestock Workers           
                    :                                                           
Field Crops         :         26                  21                 23         
Other Crops         :         48                  49                 50         
Livestock, Dairy,   :                                                           
 & Poultry          :         26                  30                 27         
                    :        100.0               100.0              100.0       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
             Hired Workers:  Distribution by Economic                           
                  Class of Farm, 48 States 1/ 3/                                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Gross Value    :     July 7-13,      :    April 6-12,   :   July 6-12,     
      of Sales      :        1996         :       1997       :       1997       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :                 Percent of Hired Workers                  
                    :                                                           
Less than $40,000   :         11                   8                 13         
$40,000-$99,999     :         10                   7                 12         
$100,000-$249,999   :         16                  15                 15         
$250,000 and over   :         63                  70                 60         
                    :        100.0               100.0              100.0       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
  Hired Workers:  Distribution by Category, United States, 1/ 3/                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             :  July 7-13,    :   April 6-12,  :  July 6-12,    
                             :      1996      :      1997      :      1997      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             :             Percent of Hired Workers             
Employed on Farms Hiring     :                                                  
  1 Worker                   :      14               11               10        
  2 Workers                  :      11               10               11        
  3-6 Workers                :      24               20               23        
  7-10 Workers               :       9                9               11        
  At least 11 Workers        :      42               50               45        
                             :     100.0            100.0            100.0      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  48 States, excluding AK and HI.                                             
2/  Field and Livestock Workers combined.                                       
3/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.                                      
                      Agricultural Services                                     
                                                                                
Crew leaders and custom crews provided 340,000 workers for the Nation's farms   
and ranches during the week of July 6-12, 1997, up 9,000 from a year ago.       
Service workers in California  numbered 96,000 compared with 98,000 during the  
July 1996 survey week.  Florida's number of service workers was 4,000, compared 
to 3,500 last year.                                                             
                                                                                
The average wages received by agricultural service workers in California and    
Florida were $6.87 and $8.10 per hour, respectively.                            
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
Agricultural Service Workers:  Number, Hours Worked, and Wage Rates,            
          for California, Florida, and United States 1/                         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      :    Number of Workers    :         Hours         :         Wage          
      :    Working on Farms     :       Worked 2/       :      Rates 2/ 3/      
 State:-------------------------------------------------------------------------
      :  Jul  :  Apr   :  Jul   :  Jul  :  Apr  :  Jul  :  Jul  :  Apr  :  Jul  
      : 1996  :  1997  :  1997  : 1996  : 1997  : 1997  : 1996  : 1997  : 1997  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      : -------- 1,000 -------    ------- Hours ------      Dollars per Hour    
      :                                                                         
CA    :  98.0    90.0     96.0    40.0    39.3    37.2    7.17    7.21    6.87  
FL    :   3.5    13.0      4.0    43.5   *36.0    39.5     4/     8.44    8.10  
      :                                                                         
US    : 331.0   207.0    340.0                                                  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   Revised                                                                     
1/  Data are for Agricultural Services performed on the farm by custom          
    service units such as crew leaders or custom crews.  These statistics are   
    not included in the State-Regional tables.                                  
2/  United States data not available.                                           
3/  Benefits, such as housing and meals, are provided some workers but          
    the values are not included in the wage rates.                              
4/  Insufficient data.                                                          
                                                                                
  Migrant Workers:  Percent of all Hired Workers, United States,                
  By Quarter (Includes Agricultural Service Workers), 1995-97 1/                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Year      :      Jan      :      Apr      :      Jul      :      Oct      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                            Percent                            
                :                                                               
1995 2/         :       N/A             N/A           12.4            11.6      
1996            :       5.7             7.5           13.1            11.1      
1997            :       9.5             6.3           10.8                      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Definition "Migrant Worker" is a farm worker whose employment required      
    travel that prevented the farm worker from returning to his/her permanent   
    place of residence the same day.                                            
2/  Data first collected during July 1995 survey.                               
Farm Labor Regions                                                              
                                                                                
     Region                   States                                            
                                                                                
     Northeast I              CT, ME, MA, NH, NY, RI, VT.                       
     Northeast II             DE, MD, NJ, PA.                                   
     Appalachian I            NC, VA.                                           
     Appalachian II           KY, TN, WV.                                       
     Southeast                AL, GA, SC.                                       
     Lake                     MI, MN, WI.                                       
     Cornbelt I               IL, IN, OH.                                       
     Cornbelt II              IA, MO.                                           
     Delta                    AR, LA, MS.                                       
     Northern Plains          KS, NE, ND, SD.                                   
     Southern Plains          OK, TX.                                           
     Mountain I               ID, MT, WY.                                       
     Mountain II              CO, NV, UT.                                       
     Mountain III             AZ, NM.                                           
     Pacific                  OR, WA.                                           
                Reliability of Farm Labor Estimates                             
                                                                                
Survey Procedures:  These data were collected by the National Agricultural      
                    Statistics Service during the last two weeks of July using  
sampling procedures to ensure every employer of agricultural workers had a      
chance of being selected.                                                       
                                                                                
Two samples of farm operators are selected.  First, NASS maintains a list of    
farms that hire farm workers.  Farms on this list are classified by size and    
type.  Those expected to employ large numbers of workers are selected with      
greater frequency than those hiring few or no workers.  A second sample consists
of segments of land scientifically selected from aerial photography.  Each June,
highly trained interviewers locate each selected land segment and identify every
farm operating land within the sample segment's boundaries.  The names of farms 
found in these area segments are matched against the list of farms; those not   
found on the list are included in the labor survey sample to represent all farms
not on the NASS list.  This methodology is known as multiple frame sampling,    
with an area sample used to measure the incompleteness of the list.             
Additionally, a list of agricultural service firms was sampled in California and
Florida.  The survey reference week was July 6-12, 1997.                        
                                                                                
Reliability:  Two types of errors, sampling and nonsampling, are possible in    
              an estimate based on a sample survey.  Both types affect the      
"precision" of the estimates.                                                   
                                                                                
Sampling error occurs because a complete census is not taken.  The sampling     
error measures the variation in estimates from the average of all possible      
samples.  An estimate of 100 with a sampling error of 1 would mean that chances 
are 19 out of 20 that the estimates from all possible samples averaged together 
would be between 98 and 102; which is the survey estimate, plus or minus two    
times the sampling error.  The sampling error expressed as a percent of the     
estimate is called the relative sampling error.  The relative sampling error for
number of all hired workers at the U.S. level was 4.0 percent.  The relative    
sampling error for number of hired workers generally ranged between 8 and 21    
percent at the regional level.  The U.S. all hired farm worker wage rate had a  
relative sampling error of 1.1 percent.  The relative sampling error was .8     
percent for the combined field and livestock worker wage rate.  Relative        
sampling errors for the all hired farm worker wage rate generally ranged between
2 and 8 percent at the regional level.  Relative sampling errors for wage rates 
published by type of farm and economic class of farm ranged between 2 and 10    
percent at the regional level.                                                  
                                                                                
Nonsampling errors can occur in complete censuses as well as in sample surveys. 
They are caused by the inability to obtain correct information from each        
operation sampled, differences in interpreting questions or definitions, and    
mistakes in coding or processing the data.  Special efforts are taken at each   
step of the survey to minimize nonsampling errors.                              
                                                                                
Revision Policy:  Farm labor information is subject to revision the next time   
                  the information is published or the year after the original   
publication date.  The basis for revision must be supported by additional data  
that directly affect the level of the estimate.  Worker numbers and wage rates  
for April, 1997 and July, 1996 were subject to revision with this report.       
Revisions were made as noted and previous data are reprinted in this report for 
your information.                                                               
                                                                                
The November 21st report will have information for the survey week of October   
12-18, 1997.  The report will include the number of All Hired Workers, Average  
Hours Worked by Hired Workers and the All Hired Worker Wage Rates regional and  
U.S. levels. The wage rate for field and livestock workers will be available for
the regional and U.S. level.  The number of self-employed and unpaid workers    
along with the corresponding average hours worked will be available for         
California, Florida, Hawaii, and at the regional and U.S. level.  Wage rates by 
type of worker, type of farm, and economic class of farm will also be available 
at the regional and U.S. level.  The number of Agricultural Service Workers and 
the corresponding wage rates will be published for Florida and California.      
                                                                                
The report will also include certain annual data for the U.S., regions, and     
selected states.  Annual self employed and unpaid worker data will be published.
Annual employment data for hired worker numbers, hours worked, and hired worker 
wage rates will be published.  Annual average wage rate data will be published  
by State for field, field and livestock combined, and all hired workers.  A new 
data series on the number of migrant workers will also be published.            
                                                                                
                                                                                
                               Index                                            
                                                                                
                                                                     Page       
                                                                                
U.S. Hired Workers on Farms, Wage Rates and Hours Worked ............  3        
                                                                                
Number of Workers and Average Hours Worked by Region and U.S.                   
  July 1997 .........................................................  4        
  April 1997 ........................................................  6        
  July 1996 .........................................................  8        
                                                                                
Wage Rates by Region and U.S.                                                   
  July 1997 .........................................................  5        
  April 1997 ........................................................  7        
  July 1996 .........................................................  9        
                                                                                
Agricultural Services: Workers, Average Hours Worked, and Wages                 
  July 1997 ......................................................... 12        
  April 1997 ........................................................ 12        
  July 1996 ......................................................... 12        
                                                                                
Other Labor Estimates                                                           
  U.S. Distribution of Workers ....................................... 11       
  Wage Rates by Type of Farm, by Region, State, 48 States ............ 10       
  Wage Rates by Economic Class of Farm, by Region, State, 48 States .. 10       
  Migrant Workers .................................................... 12       
                                                                                
Farm Labor Region Map ................................................ 13       
                                                                                
Reliability of Farm Labor Estimates .................................. 14       
                                                                                
Revision Policy ...................................................... 14       
                                                                                
The next "Farm Labor" report will be released at 3:00 p.m. ET on November 21,   
1997.                                                                           
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in  
its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age,  
disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status.  Persons with    
disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program         
information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA's   
TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).                                  
                                                                                
To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA, Washington, D.C.,
20250, or call 1-800-245-6340 (voice) or 202-720-1127 (TDD).  USDA is an equal  
employment opportunity employer.                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
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