HDR1012000170050814961500Farm Labor                                             
                                                                                
Released August 13, 1996, 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     
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.  For assistance with general agricultural            
statistics, information about NASS, its products or services, contact the NASS  
Information Hotline at 1-800-727-9540 or E-mail: NASS@NASS.USDA.GOV.            
                                                                                
                                                                                
         Hired Workers Down 5 Percent, Wages Up 11 Cents                        
                                                                                
There were 1.35 million hired workers on the Nation's farms and ranches during  
the week of July 7-13, 1996. There were 1,015,000 workers hired directly by     
farm operators.  Agricultural service employees on farms and ranches made up    
the remaining 331,000 workers.                                                  
                                                                                
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $6.55 per hour       
during the July 1996 survey week, up 11 cents from a year earlier.  Field       
workers received an average of $6.16 per hour, up 7 cents.  Livestock workers   
earned $6.20 per hour compared with $5.94 a year earlier.                       
                                                                                
Self-employed and unpaid workers are not published in this report.  These       
statistics will be published annually beginning with the October survey         
release. Benefits will not be published in this report.  These data will be     
collected periodically to update the data series.                               
                                                                                
During the survey week of July 7-13, dry weather continued across the Corn      
Belt.  Crop moisture also diminished over the Southeast.  Farther west,         
significant rainfall from Arizona to Oklahoma tempered long-term drought.       
Heat intensified in the Northwest, but very cool air spread over the Midwest    
and the Plains as far south as northern Texas.  Late in the week, Hurricane     
Bertha jolted the North Carolina coastline.  Bertha's rain and steadily         
diminishing winds spread northward into New England.  Across the Southwestern   
and South-Central States, tropical origin moisture and a stalled front fueled   
torrential rainfall. Days suitable for fieldwork across the U.S. were mostly    
6-7 days.  In California, small grain harvest was virtually complete as second  
crop planting of row crops was winding down.  Table grape harvest was gaining   
momentum in the Central Valley.  Vegetable and fruit harvests continued.        
Activity in Florida included summer vegetables harvest, hay making, and         
tobacco harvest.  In Texas, small grain harvest was slowing in the High         
Plains.  Some replanting of failed cotton continued while defoliation activity  
was getting underway in the Rio Grande Valley.  Onion and potato harvests in    
the High Plains were delayed by rain.                                           
                                                                                
                                                                                
      Farm Labor:  Employment and Wage Rates, United States,                    
               July 7-13, 1996, with Comparisons 1/                             
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             :   July 9-15,   :  April 7-13,   :   July 7-13,   
       Farm Employment       :      1995      :      1996      :      1996      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             :                      1,000                       
                             :                                                  
Hired Workers                :     1,066              780            1,015      
  Expected to be Employed    :                                                  
    150 Days or More         :       669              599              652      
    149 Days or Less         :       397              181              363      
                             :                                                  
Agricultural Services        :                                                  
  Workers Working on Farms   :       348              207              331      
                             :                                                  
Hired Farm & Service Workers :     1,414              987            1,346      
                             :                                                  
                             :                  Hours per Week                  
Hours Worked                 :                                                  
  Hired                      :      39.9             40.7             40.9      
                             :                                                  
                             :                 Dollars per Hour                 
Wage Rates for               :                                                  
  All Hired Workers 2/ 3/    :      6.44             6.76             6.55      
                             :                                                  
Type of Worker               :                                                  
 Field & Livestock Combines  :      6.06             6.28             6.17      
   Field                     :      6.09             6.31             6.16      
   Livestock                 :      5.94             6.22             6.20      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 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    :    or Less    :    Worked     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                             1,000                             
                :                                                               
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            37.5      
                :                                                               
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 Workers 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             5.91       
                :                                                               
Southeast       :     5.62           5.25           5.58             5.85       
FL              :     6.35           7.10           6.45             7.40       
                :                                                               
Lake            :     6.51           6.02           6.31             6.57       
                :                                                               
Cornbelt I      :     6.70           6.65           6.69             7.08       
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       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 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    :    or Less    :    Worked     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                       Dollars per Hour                        
                :                                                               
Northeast I     :       33              27               6            40.8      
Northeast II    :       35              30               5            38.4      
                :                                                               
Appalachian I   :       38              27              11            37.5      
Appalachian II  :       20              13               7            33.6      
                :                                                               
Southeast       :       32              23               9            37.2      
FL              :       50              43               7            38.5      
                :                                                               
Lake            :       59              44              15            36.7      
                :                                                               
Cornbelt I      :       43              35               8            37.2      
Cornbelt II     :       27              20               7            34.7      
                :                                                               
Delta           :       44              32              12            41.8      
                :                                                               
Northern Plains :       36              28               8            40.5      
                :                                                               
Southern Plains :       64              48              16            41.6      
                :                                                               
Mountain I      :       27              21               6            48.9      
Mountain II     :       15              11               4            43.3      
Mountain III    :       19              16               3            49.2      
                :                                                               
Pacific         :       46              30              16            40.7      
CA              :      185             145              40            43.9      
                :                                                               
HI              :        7               6               1            37.5      
                :                                                               
US 3/           :      780             599             181            40.7      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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             
                       April 7-13, 1996 1/                                      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :             Type of Worker                 :                  
      U.S.      :--------------------------------------------:  Wage Rates for  
      and       :              :              :Field & Lvstk :All Hired Workers 
    Region 2/   :    Field     :  Livestock   :   Combined   :                  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                             1,000                             
                :                                                               
Northeast I     :     7.47           6.20           6.93             7.27       
Northeast II    :     6.62           5.31           6.11             6.78       
                :                                                               
Appalachian I   :     5.60           6.21           5.78             6.03       
Appalachian II  :     5.84           5.75           5.80             6.29       
                :                                                               
Southeast       :     5.52           5.63           5.56             5.96       
FL              :     6.12           7.10           6.27             7.05       
                :                                                               
Lake            :     6.78           6.39           6.56             7.02       
                :                                                               
Cornbelt I      :     6.57           6.76           6.61             7.14       
Cornbelt II     :     6.47           7.00           6.67             6.89       
                :                                                               
Delta           :     5.38           5.74           5.46             5.65       
                :                                                               
Northern Plains :     6.76           5.79           6.32             6.51       
                :                                                               
Southern Plains :     5.38           5.53           5.45             6.12       
                :                                                               
Mountain I      :     5.54           5.29           5.42             5.78       
Mountain II     :     5.60           5.88           5.73             6.53       
Mountain III    :     5.67           6.03           5.74             6.34       
                :                                                               
Pacific         :     6.83           7.22           6.87             7.44       
CA              :     6.53           7.50           6.64             7.14       
                :                                                               
HI              :     8.79             3/           8.76            10.13       
                :                                                               
US 4/           :     6.31           6.22           6.28             6.76       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 9-15, 1995 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                             
                :                                                               
Northeast I     :        53             37              16            41.3      
Northeast II    :        52             32              20            40.9      
                :                                                               
Appalachian I   :        79             32              47            35.9      
Appalachian II  :        44             21              23            29.0      
                :                                                               
Southeast       :        46             24              22            37.3      
FL              :        48             44               4            38.0      
                :                                                               
Lake            :        90             43              47            35.1      
                :                                                               
Cornbelt I      :        56             33              23            37.5      
Cornbelt II     :        36             23              13            32.9      
                :                                                               
Delta           :        47             34              13            40.0      
                :                                                               
Northern Plains :        38             25              13            48.6      
                :                                                               
Southern Plains :        69             50              19            42.4      
                :                                                               
Mountain I      :        33             21              12            41.9      
Mountain II     :        20             13               7            40.9      
Mountain III    :        20             16               4            49.4      
                :                                                               
Pacific         :       103             49              54            40.1      
CA              :       225            166              59            44.1      
                :                                                               
HI              :         7              6               1            37.3      
                :                                                               
US 3/           :     1,066            669             397            39.9      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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             
                        July 9-15, 1995 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     :     6.58           5.71           6.23             6.77       
Northeast II    :     6.10           5.22           5.86             6.32       
                :                                                               
Appalachian I   :     5.63           6.13           5.68             5.87       
Appalachian II  :     5.37           5.56           5.43             5.61       
                :                                                               
Southeast       :     5.47           5.58           5.49             5.89       
FL              :     6.79           6.45           6.75             7.80       
                :                                                               
Lake            :     6.18           5.71           6.03             6.38       
                :                                                               
Cornbelt I      :     6.07           6.10           6.08             6.37       
Cornbelt II     :     5.93           5.95           5.93             6.26       
                :                                                               
Delta           :     5.28           5.72           5.40             5.61       
                :                                                               
Northern Plains :     6.10           5.33           5.83             5.98       
                :                                                               
Southern Plains :     5.39           5.76           5.52             5.83       
                :                                                               
Mountain I      :     5.71           5.91           5.77             5.87       
Mountain II     :     5.48           5.09           5.31             5.78       
Mountain III    :     5.54           6.31           5.71             6.24       
                :                                                               
Pacific         :     6.66           7.35           6.70             6.89       
CA              :     6.27           7.52           6.37             6.88       
                :                                                               
HI              :     8.81             3/           8.78             9.94       
                :                                                               
US 4/           :     6.09           5.94           6.06             6.44       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Excludes Agricultural Service Workers.                                      
2/  Region map on page 13.                                                      
3/  Insufficient data.                                                          
4/  Excludes AK.                                                                
    Field and Livestock Workers Combined:  Wage Rates, by Type                  
               of Farm, by Region and 48 States 1/                              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :        July 9-15, 1995        :        July 7-13, 1996        
                :---------------------------------------------------------------
    Region 2/   : Field : Other :L'stk &:  All  : Field : Other :L'stk &:  All  
                : Crops : Crops :Poultry: Farms : Crops : Crops :Poultry: Farms 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                       Dollars per Hour                        
                :                                                               
Northeast       : 5.18    6.60    5.73    6.04     6.46   6.40    5.61    6.04  
Appalachian     : 5.42    6.00    5.58    5.61     5.45   5.16    6.38    5.61  
Southeast       : 4.79    5.53    4.93    5.25     4.66   5.43    5.55    5.25  
Lake            : 6.24    5.97    5.97    6.03     6.50   6.62    5.56    6.03  
Cornbelt        : 5.81    6.27    6.07    6.03     6.34   5.89    5.85    6.03  
Delta           : 5.14    5.52    5.88    5.40     5.02   4.97    6.19    5.40  
Northern Plains : 6.39    6.15    5.30    5.83     6.01   6.35    5.39    5.83  
Southern Plains : 5.22    6.33    5.63    5.52     5.60   5.46    5.53    5.52  
Mountain        : 5.38    6.04    5.78    5.64     5.31   5.53    6.03    5.64  
Pacific         : 6.03    6.44    7.32    6.47     6.11   6.41    7.43    6.47  
48 States       : 5.56    6.28    5.89    5.97     5.71   6.20    6.03    5.97  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
    All Hired Workers:  Wage Rates, by Economic Class of Farm                   
                    by Region and 48 States 1/                                  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         :          July 9-15, 1995          :         July 7-13, 1996          
  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  : 6.13   5.36    5.73   7.37   6.54  7.15   6.33    6.14    7.01  6.75 
Appal.   : 5.51   5.53    5.42   6.20   5.79  5.84   5.57    5.93    5.75  5.79 
S. East  : 6.11   4.33    5.08   5.58   5.47  7.40   6.00    5.25    6.42  5.40 
Lake     : 5.45   4.96    5.93   6.94   6.38  5.90   5.97    5.45    7.19  6.58 
Cornbelt : 6.01   5.71    6.37   6.57   6.33  6.56   6.31    6.12    7.05  6.71 
Delta    : 6.16   6.46    5.41   5.40   5.61  5.47   5.58    5.08    6.38  6.13 
N. Plains: 3.76   5.54    6.18   6.18   5.98  6.24   5.39    6.48    6.74  6.46 
S. Plains: 5.65   5.68    5.70   5.96   5.83  6.46   6.51    5.68    5.79  6.01 
Mountain : 5.38   5.62    5.66   6.26   5.96  6.12   4.86    5.48    6.65  6.16 
Pacific  : 7.09   7.04    6.60   6.89   6.88  6.46   7.06    6.53    6.84  6.81 
48 States: 5.93   5.68    5.90   6.58   6.44  6.42   6.01    5.59    6.71  6.55 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.                              
            Field and Livestock Workers: Distribution                           
               by Type of Farm, 48 States 1/ 2/ 3/                              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Type of      :     July 9-15,      :   April 7-13,    :    July 7-13,    
        Farm        :        1995         :       1996       :       1996       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :         Percent of Field and Livestock Workers            
                    :                                                           
Field Crops         :         26                  23                 26         
Other Crops         :         44                  47                 48         
Livestock, Dairy,   :                                                           
 & Poultry          :         30                  30                 26         
                    :        100.0               100.0              100.0       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
             Hired Workers:  Distribution by Economic                           
                  Class of Farm, 48 States 1/ 3/                                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Gross Value    :     July 9-15,      :   April 7-13,    :    July 7-13,    
      of Sales      :        1995         :       1996       :       1996       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :                   Percent of Hired Workers                
                    :                                                           
Less than $40,000   :         13                   9                 11         
$40,000-$99,999     :         12                   9                 10         
$100,000-$249,999   :         18                  17                 16         
$250,000 and over   :         57                  65                 63         
                    :        100.0               100.0              100.0       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
     Hired Workers:  Distribution by Category, United States,                   
                         July 7-13 1/ 3/                                        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             :   July 9-15,   :  April 7-13,   :   July 7-13,   
                             :      1995      :      1996      :      1996      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             :             Percent of Hired Workers             
                             :                                                  
Employed on Farms Hiring     :                                                  
  1 Worker                   :      12               14               14        
  2 Workers                  :       9               11               11        
  3-6 Workers                :      20               21               24        
  7-10 Workers               :      10               11                9        
  At least 11 Workers        :      49               43               42        
                             :     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 331,000 workers for the Nation's farms   
and ranches during the week of July 7-13, 1996. Service workers in California   
numbered 98,000 compared with 93,000 during the July 1995 survey week.          
Florida's number of service workers was 3,500 compared to 2,000 last year.      
                                                                                
The average wage received by agricultural service workers in California was     
$7.17 compared to $6.42 last year.                                              
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
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  
      : 1995  :  1996  :  1996  : 1995  : 1996  : 1996  : 1995  : 1996  : 1996  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      :   ------ 1,000 -----          --- Hours ---         Dollars per Hour    
      :                                                                         
CA    :  93.0    63.0     98.0    41.4    38.2    40.0    6.42    6.58    7.17  
FL    :   2.0    10.5      3.5    48.0    31.5    43.5    7.76    7.68     4/   
      :                                                                         
US    : 348.0   207.0    331.0                                                  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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/  Insufficent Data.                                                           
                                                                                
                        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 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 7-13, 1996.                        
                                                                                
                                                                                
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 at 
the U.S. level was 3.1 percent and 5.9 percent for all hired workers.  The      
relative sampling error for number of hired workers generally ranged between 7  
and 20 percent at the regional level.  The U.S. all hired farm worker wage rate 
had a relative sampling error of 1.2 percent.  The relative sampling error was  
1.5 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 levels.  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 July 1995 and April 1996 were subject to revision with this report.   
No revisions were made but previous data are reprinted in this report for your  
information.                                                                    
                                                                                
Beginning in January 1995, the criteria for publishing livestock, supervisor,   
and other wage rates was changed to a wage rate weight greater than 2 percent   
and a relative sampling error below 10 percent.  Also, worker and wage rate     
indexes were discontinued after the October 1994 publication.  A 1990-92=100 all
hired wage rate index is published in the quarterly Agriculture Prices release  
beginning in 1995.                                                              
                                                                                
The November 13th report will have information for the survey week of October   
12, 1996.  The report will include the quarterly number of all hired workers,   
average hours worked by hired workers, and the all hired worker wage rates for  
California, Florida, and Hawaii along with regional and U.S. level information. 
Wage rates for field and livestock workers will be available for the three      
States described above and at the regional and U.S. level.  Wage rates by type  
of farm and economic class of farm will be available at the regional and U.S.   
level.  The number of agricultural service workers and corresponding wage rates 
will be published for California and Florida.                                   
                                                                                
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 U.S. migrant workers will 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 1996 .......................................................  4          
  April 1996 ......................................................  6          
  July 1995 .......................................................  8          
                                                                                
Wage Rates by Region and U.S.                                                   
  July 1996 .......................................................  5          
  April 1996 ......................................................  7          
  July 1995 .......................................................  9          
                                                                                
Agricultural Services: Workers, Average Hours Worked, and Wages                 
  July 1996 ....................................................... 12          
  April 1996 ...................................................... 12          
  July 1995 ....................................................... 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          
                                                                                
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 13, 1996.                                                              
                                                                                
                                                                                
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     
Office of Communications at (202) 720-5881 (voice) or (202) 720-7808 (TDD).     
                                                                                
To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA, Washington,      
D.C., 20250, or call (202) 720-7327 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD).  USDA is   
an equal employment opportunity employer.                                       
                                                                                
                                                                                
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END OF FILE