Sp Sy 8  (2-99)
 
 
 
Farm
Labor
 
National
Agricultural
Statistics
Service
 
 
 
 
USDA
Washington, D.C.
 
 
Released February 19, 1999, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.  For
information on "Farm Labor" call Steve Logan at 202-690-3228, office hours
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.
 
 
 
Hired Workers Up 5 Percent, Wage Rates Up 4 Percent From a Year Ago
 
There were 844,000 hired workers on the Nation's farms and ranches the week
of January 10-16, 1999, up 5 percent from a year ago.  There were 689,000
workers hired directly by farm operators.  Agricultural service employees on
farms and ranches made up the remaining 155,000 workers.  Migrant workers
accounted for 5.7 percent of the January hired workforce compared to 7.3 percent
last year.
 
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage rate of $7.90 per hour
during the January 1999 survey week, up 29 cents from a year earlier.  Field
workers received an average of $7.21 per hour, up 22 cents from last January.
Livestock workers earned $7.31 per hour compared with $6.97 a year earlier.  The
Field and Livestock worker combined wage rate was up 26 cents from last year.
 
Number of hours worked averaged 37.9 hours for hired workers during the survey
week compared with 36.6 hours a year ago.
 
The largest increases in number of hired farm workers over last year occurred in
the Appalachian I (North Carolina and Virginia), Northeast II (Delaware,
Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania), Pacific (Oregon and Washington) and
California regions. In the Appalachian I region, milder weather gave farm
workers more time for land preparation, general farm maintenance, and
tending to livestock during the survey week.  Additional nursery and greenhouse
activities contributed to the Northeast II region's increase in hired farm
workers over last year.  Orchard pruning, Christmas tree replanting, and hot-
house harvest activities were underway in the Pacific region.   In California,
dry weather aided vegetable harvest throughout the State and permitted normal
pruning and fertilizing activities in vineyards and non-citrus fruit orchards.
Citrus growers in the San Joaquin Valley continued to assess freeze damage while
picking in southern California citrus groves, not affected by the freeze,
remained active.
 
The largest declines in number of hired farm workers from a year ago were in the
Corn Belt II (Iowa and Missouri), Northern Plains (North Dakota, South Dakota,
Nebraska, and Kansas), and Mountain I (Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming) regions.
Drier, cooler weather coupled with fewer storms in the Corn Belt II region
helped reduce farm work activity which would be spent opening roads and
repairing assets usually affected by bad weather.  In the Northern Plains
region, mild, breezy conditions prevailed in most areas.  Most farm activity
reported for the week was general farm maintenance and tending to livestock.
Milder temperatures in the Mountain I region led to fewer workers being needed
to tend to livestock during the survey week.
 
Hired farm worker wage rates in most regions were above a year ago. The largest
increases occurred in the Appalachian I, Corn Belt II, and Mountain II
(Colorado, Nevada, and Utah) regions.  The higher wage rates in the Appala-
chian I and Mountain II regions were generally attributable to more maintenance
and machinery work done on farms this year.
 
Regions showing the largest declines in hired worker wage rates from last year
were Mountain III (Arizona and New Mexico), and Pacific.  Milder temperatures in
these regions allowed farmers to hire more seasonal workers in advance of
regular springtime fieldwork.
 
 
 
 
             Farm Labor:  Employment and Wage Rates, United States,
                    January 10-16, 1999, with Comparisons 1/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             : January 11-17, : October 11-17, : January 10-16,
       Farm Employment       :      1998      :      1998      :      1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             :                      1,000
                             :
Hired Workers                :
  Expected to be Employed    :       661              983              689
    150 Days or More         :       528              696              559
    149 Days or Less         :       133              287              130
                             :
Agricultural Services        :
  Workers Working on Farms   :       141              263              155
                             :
Hired Farm & Service Workers :       802            1,246              844
                             :
                             :
                             :                     Percent
                             :
Migrant Workers Percent of   :
 Hired Farm & Service Workers:       7.3             11.0              5.7
                             :
                             :
                             :                  Hours per Week
                             :
Hours Worked                 :
 Hired                       :      36.6             42.7             37.9
                             :
                             :
                             :                 Dollars per Hour
                             :
Wage Rates for               :
 All Hired Workers 2/ 3/     :      7.61             7.60             7.90
                             :
Type of Worker               :
 Field & Livestock Combined  :      6.98             7.17             7.24
   Field                     :      6.99             7.15             7.21
   Livestock                 :      6.97             7.28             7.31
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, January 10-16, 1999 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     :       30              25               5            37.5
Northeast II    :       25              22               3            38.3
                :
Appalachian I   :       26              20               6            34.9
Appalachian II  :       22              10              12            27.8
                :
Southeast       :       28              21               7            34.4
FL              :       55              48               7            38.7
                :
Lake            :       42              37               5            34.9
                :
Cornbelt I      :       29              25               4            35.6
Cornbelt II     :       16              13               3            29.9
                :
Delta           :       24              19               5            32.6
                :
Northern Plains :       23              18               5            35.5
                :
Southern Plains :       48              39               9            38.4
                :
Mountain I      :       14              12               2            37.4
Mountain II     :       15              14               1            42.7
Mountain III    :       16              15               1            43.4
                :
Pacific         :       45              33              12            37.1
CA              :      224             182              42            41.1
                :
HI              :        7               6               1            36.7
                :
US 3/           :      689             559             130            37.9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, January 10-16, 1999 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     :     8.08           6.61           7.20             7.75
Northeast II    :     7.79           6.13           6.99             8.01
                :
Appalachian I   :     7.14           7.47           7.25             7.76
Appalachian II  :     5.60           7.39           6.39             6.89
                :
Southeast       :     6.84           6.84           6.84             7.18
FL              :     7.35           7.00           7.32             8.25
                :
Lake            :     8.43           7.33           7.59             8.48
                :
Cornbelt I      :     8.01           7.82           7.89             8.46
Cornbelt II     :     7.36           7.35           7.35             7.86
                :
Delta           :     6.99           6.35           6.68             7.20
                :
Northern Plains :     7.83           7.56           7.62             8.10
                :
Southern Plains :     6.49           6.58           6.53             6.93
                :
Mountain I      :     7.36           7.35           7.35             7.80
Mountain II     :     7.29           7.36           7.33             8.41
Mountain III    :     6.66           7.06           6.75             7.18
                :
Pacific         :     7.80           8.93           7.96             8.70
CA              :     7.08           8.40           7.22             7.88
                :
HI 4/           :     9.38                          9.35            10.80
                :
US 3/           :     7.21           7.31           7.24             7.90
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.
2/  Region map on page 13.
3/  Excludes AK.
4/  Insufficient data for livestock.
 
 
 
 
                Hired Workers:  Number and Hours Worked by Region
                    and United States, October 11-17, 1998 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     :       43              31              12            39.6
Northeast II    :       32              24               8            38.4
                :
Appalachian I   :       44              27              17            37.5
Appalachian II  :       27              12              15            31.5
                :
Southeast       :       38              30               8            38.6
FL              :       47              42               5            43.0
                :
Lake            :       59              38              21            39.6
                :
Cornbelt I      :       53              34              19            39.6
Cornbelt II     :       28              20               8            38.6
                :
Delta           :       40              29              11            49.2
                :
Northern Plains :       33              21              12            39.7
                :
Southern Plains :       53              37              16            39.0
                :
Mountain I      :       33              21              12            48.3
Mountain II     :       23              19               4            47.0
Mountain III    :       25              21               4            46.8
                :
Pacific         :       85              41              44            37.2
CA              :      312             242              70            47.7
                :
HI              :        8               7               1            36.6
                :
US 3/           :      983             696             287            42.7
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, October 11-17, 1998 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     :     7.52           6.90           7.32             7.82
Northeast II    :     7.11           6.74           6.98             7.59
                :
Appalachian I   :     6.60           7.38           6.73             7.08
Appalachian II  :     6.23           6.92           6.40             6.73
                :
Southeast       :     6.46           6.45           6.46             6.63
FL              :     7.10           7.30           7.13             7.82
                :
Lake            :     8.23           7.40           7.99             8.45
                :
Cornbelt I      :     7.43           7.76           7.49             7.90
Cornbelt II     :     7.23           8.20           7.56             8.03
                :
Delta           :     5.85           7.07           6.05             6.48
                :
Northern Plains :     7.65           6.03           7.24             7.57
                :
Southern Plains :     6.14           6.58           6.28             6.77
                :
Mountain I      :     6.89           6.72           6.85             7.03
Mountain II     :     6.37           7.33           6.82             7.32
Mountain III    :     6.55           6.33           6.52             7.00
                :
Pacific         :     7.76           8.76           7.86             8.25
CA              :     7.29           7.99           7.34             7.75
                :
HI 4/           :     9.20                          9.17            10.65
                :
US 3/           :     7.15           7.28           7.17             7.60
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.
2/  Region map on page 13.
3/  Excludes AK.
4/  Insufficient data for livestock.
 
 
 
 
                Hired Workers:  Number and Hours Worked by Region
                    and United States, January 11-17, 1998 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     :       32              28               4            38.0
Northeast II    :       20              17               3            38.7
                :
Appalachian I   :       20              16               4            35.1
Appalachian II  :       23              14               9            30.9
                :
Southeast       :       31              24               7            35.1
FL              :       51              41              10            38.3
                :
Lake            :       41              35               6            32.1
                :
Cornbelt I      :       32              28               4            34.1
Cornbelt II     :       26              17               9            31.5
                :
Delta           :       27              20               7            29.2
                :
Northern Plains :       33              28               5            39.4
                :
Southern Plains :       52              44               8            38.5
                :
Mountain I      :       19              16               3            33.6
Mountain II     :       14              12               2            35.8
Mountain III    :       17              15               2            42.0
                :
Pacific         :       36              31               5            36.0
CA              :      180             136              44            38.9
                :
HI              :        7               6               1            35.3
                :
US 3/           :      661             528             133            36.6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, January 11-17, 1998 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     :     8.60           6.22           6.96             7.54
Northeast II    :     7.45           6.08           6.80             7.51
                :
Appalachian I   :     6.50           6.66           6.57             6.97
Appalachian II  :     6.44           5.71           6.10             6.33
                :
Southeast       :     7.13           6.09           6.70             7.21
FL              :     7.45           8.00           7.49             8.22
                :
Lake            :     7.74           7.16           7.35             8.32
                :
Cornbelt I      :     7.51           7.62           7.57             8.31
Cornbelt II     :     6.82           6.43           6.50             7.08
                :
Delta           :     6.94           6.30           6.70             7.21
                :
Northern Plains :     8.34           7.38           7.65             8.22
                :
Southern Plains :     6.59           6.65           6.61             7.04
                :
Mountain I      :     6.53           6.80           6.74             7.26
Mountain II     :     7.22           6.89           7.00             7.65
Mountain III    :     6.63           6.61           6.63             7.34
                :
Pacific         :     7.67           8.16           7.81             8.86
CA              :     6.62           8.36           6.85             7.38
                :
HI              :     8.88                          8.84            10.24
                :
US 3/           :     6.99           6.97           6.98             7.61
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.
2/  Region map on page 13.
3/  Excludes AK.
4/  Insufficient data for livestock.
 
 
 
 
           Field and Livestock Workers Combined:  Wage Rates, by Type
                       of Farm, by Region and 48 States 1/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :      January 11-17, 1998      :      January 10-16, 1999
                :---------------------------------------------------------------
    Region 2/   : Field : Other :L'stk &:  All  : Field : Other :L'stk &:  All
                : Crops : Crops :Poultry: Farms : Crops : Crops :Poultry: Farms
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                       Dollars per Hour
                :
Northeast       :  7.84   8.06    6.36    7.10    7.18    7.97    6.49    7.16
Appalachian     :  6.17   6.88    5.99    6.32    6.41    7.27    6.98    6.95
Southeast       :  6.95   7.35    7.11    7.23    8.23    6.96    7.23    7.02
Lake            :  7.72   7.50    7.26    7.35    9.53    8.70    7.19    7.59
Cornbelt        :  7.14   7.26    7.05    7.11    8.08    7.93    7.53    7.66
Delta           :  7.20   7.18    5.91    6.70    7.17    6.82    6.04    6.68
Northern Plains :   3/     3/     7.22    7.65    7.86    7.90    7.41    7.62
Southern Plains :  6.43   7.09    6.43    6.61    6.09    6.61    6.64    6.53
Mountain        :  6.28   6.73    6.88    6.77     3/     6.76    7.17    7.16
Pacific         :   3/    6.81     3/     7.76    8.91    7.61    9.12    8.07
48 States       :  7.29   6.84    7.06    6.98    7.54    7.16    7.31    7.24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
 
 
            All Hired Workers:  Wage Rates, by Economic Class of Farm
                           by Region and 48 States 1/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        :        January 11-17, 1998        :        January 10-16, 1999
 Region :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
   2/   : Gross Value Sales-$1000's  :      : Gross Value Sales-$1000's  :
        :----------------------------: All  :----------------------------: All
        : <40  :40-99 :100-249 :250+ :Farms : <40 :40-99 :100-249 : 250+ :Farms
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        :                           Dollars per Hour
        :
N. East : 6.41   6.63    6.54   8.20   7.53  7.48   6.81    6.37    8.44   7.87
Appal.  : 5.70   5.63    5.95   7.29   6.54   3/     3/     7.19    7.38   7.41
S. East : 7.63   7.47    7.27   7.88   7.80  8.81   8.31    6.94    7.90   7.92
Lake    : 6.82   6.20    6.25   8.26   8.32   3/    7.01    6.68    8.98   8.48
Cornbelt: 5.48   7.10    7.41   8.17   7.71   3/    8.04    6.68    8.74   7.27
Delta   : 6.84   6.69    6.92   7.53   7.21  5.92   5.03    5.51    8.29   7.20
N. Plain: 5.04   4.89    8.34   8.50   8.22   3/     3/     7.62    8.24   8.10
S. Plain: 6.87   6.68    6.36   7.32   7.04  6.72   6.84    6.63    7.05   6.93
Mountain: 7.99   7.34    7.23   7.36   7.41  6.59   6.39    6.86    8.05   7.78
Pacific : 7.92   7.64    7.90   8.71   8.63  8.29   7.47    7.08    8.12   8.01
48 State: 6.61   6.76    6.93   7.85   7.61  7.52   7.41    6.89    8.13   7.90
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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/    Insufficient data.
 
 
 
 
                    Field and Livestock Workers: Distribution
                       by Type of Farm, 48 States 1/ 2/ 3/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Type of      :   January 11-17,    :  October 11-17,  :  January 10-16,
        Farm        :        1998         :       1998       :       1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :          Percent of Field and Livestock Workers
                    :
Field Crops         :         14                    14                  9
Other Crops         :         52                    62                 60
Livestock, Dairy,   :
 & Poultry          :         34                    24                 31
                    :        100.0               100.0              100.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
 
 
                    Hired Workers:  Distribution by Economic
                         Class of Farm, 48 States 1/ 3/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Gross Value    :   January 11-17,    :  October 11-17,  :  January 10-16,
      of Sales      :        1998         :       1998       :       1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :                 Percent of Hired Workers
                    :
Less than $40,000   :         10                    10                 10
$40,000-$99,999     :          6                     8                  7
$100,000-$249,999   :         13                    15                 13
$250,000 and over   :         71                    67                 70
                    :        100.0               100.0              100.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
 
 
         Hired Workers:  Distribution by Category, United States, 1/ 3/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             : January 11-17, : October 11-17, : January 10-16,
                             :      1998      :      1998      :      1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             :             Percent of Hired Workers
Employed on Farms Hiring     :
  1 Worker                   :      14                  9               13
  2 Workers                  :      10                  9               10
  3-6 Workers                :      22                 20               18
  7-10 Workers               :       7                  9                8
  At least 11 Workers        :      47                 53               51
                             :     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 155,000 workers for the Nation's farms
and ranches during the week of January 10-16, 1999.  Service workers in
California numbered 65,000 this January compared with 59,000 last year.
Florida's number of service workers was 12,000, compared to 16,000 last year.
 
The average wage received by agricultural service workers in California and
Florida were $7.75 and $8.50 per hour, respectively.  Comparable wages in
January 1998 were $7.24 in California and $8.80 in Florida.
 
 
 
      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:-------------------------------------------------------------------------
      :  Jan  :  Oct   :  Jan   :  Jan  :  Oct  :  Jan  :  Jan  :  Oct  :  Jan
      : 1998  :  1998  :  1999  : 1998  : 1998  : 1999  : 1998  : 1998  : 1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      : -------- 1,000 -------    ------- Hours ------      Dollars per Hour
      :
CA    :  59.0    95.0     65.0    35.2   *39.5    37.7    7.24   *7.00    7.75
FL    :  16.0    *6.0     12.0    30.0    30.0    35.0   *8.80   *8.05    8.50
      :
US    : 141.0   263.0    155.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   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.
 
 
 
 
         Migrant Workers:  Percent of all Hired Workers, United States,
         By Quarter (Includes Agricultural Service Workers), 1996-99 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            11.2
1998            :       7.3             6.6           13.7            11.0
1999            :       5.7
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 (NASS) during The last two weeks of
January 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 an area sampling frame.  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 NASS list of farms;
those not found on the list are included in the labor survey sample to represent
all farms.  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 January 10-16, 1999.  The Survey in California was jointly
conducted with the California Employment Development Department.
 
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 hired workers at the U.S. level was 5.2 percent.  The relative
sampling error  for the number of hired workers generally ranged between 11 and
27 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
1.0 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 11 percent at the regional levels.  Relative sampling errors for wage
rates published by type of farm and economic class of farm ranged between 3 and
22 percent at the regional level.
 
Nonsampling errors can occur in a complete census 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 editing, 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 January 1998 and October 1998 were subject to revision with this report.
Revisions were made and previous data are reprinted in this report for your
information.  The May 21st report will have information for the survey week of
April 11-17, 1999.  The report will include the number of All Hired Workers,
Average Hours Worked by Hired Workers and the All Hired Worker Wage Rates at the
regional and U.S. levels.  The wage rate for field, livestock, and combined
field and livestock workers will be available for the regional and U.S. level.
The number of Agricultural Service Workers and the corresponding wage rates will
be published for California and Florida.
 
 
 
                               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.
     January 1998. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
     October 1998. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
     January 1999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
 
Wage Rates by Region and U.S.
     January 1998. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
     October 1998. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
     January 1999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
 
Agricultural Services: Workers, Average Hours Worked, and Wages
     January 1998. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
     October 1998. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
     January 1999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
 
Other Labor Estimates
     U.S. Distribution of Workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
     Wage Rates by Type of Farm, by Region and 48 States . . . . . .10
     Wage Rates by Economic Class of Farm, by Region and 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 p.m. ET on May 21, 1999.
 
 
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in
all its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender,
religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital
or family status.  (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)  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 of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil
Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW,
Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD).  USDA is an
equal opportunity provider and employer.
 
 
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