AS PART OF A STATEWIDE STUDY OF NONFARM AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS IN LOUISIANA, 480 FIRMS IN 14 PARISHES WERE SURVEYED TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, THE AGRICULTURAL COMPETENCIES NEEDED, AND JOB CHARACTERISTICS. OF THE 6,087 EMPLOYEES, 3,119 NEEDED AGRICULTURAL COMPETENCIES IN 597 DIFFERENT JOB TITLES. NEARLY 60 PERCENT OF THE EMPLOYEES WERE IN CROPS, FORESTRY, AND SOIL CONSERVATION. A 12.5 PERCENT INCREASE IN EMPLOYMENT OF WORKERS WITH AGRICULTURAL COMPETENCIES WAS EXPECTED WITHIN 5 YEARS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IS EXPECTED IN FARM MACHINERY SALES AND SERVICE. MORE PEOPLE WERE EMPLOYED AT THE SEMISKILLED LEVEL THAN AT ANY OTHER. EMPLOYERS PREFERRED THAT (1) 83.5 PERCENT OF THE EMPLOYEES HAVE AT LEAST A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, (2) 8.8 PERCENT HAVE SOME COLLEGE, (3) 12.4 PERCENT HAVE COMPLETED COLLEGE, AND (4) 37.5 PERCENT HAVE A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE OR MORE. EMPLOYERS ALSO PREFERRED A FARM RESIDENTIAL BACKGROUND FOR 54.8 PERCENT OF THE EMPLOYEES. THE GREATEST NEED FOR EMPLOYEE FAMILIARITY WITH AGRICULTURAL SUBJECTS WAS IN THE MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY, SALES, AND SKILLED LEVELS. OTHER FINDINGS CONCERN OCCUPATIONAL FAMILIES, EMPLOYMENT LEVELS, AGE, SALARY, EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, RESIDENTIAL BACKGROUND, AND EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE. FOURTEEN RECOMMENDATIONS SUGGEST CURRICULUM CONTENT. THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT, A LIST OF BUSINESSES INTERVIEWED, AND A LIST OF JOB TITLES WITH NUMBER OF WORKERS IN EACH ARE INCLUDED. OTHER PARTS OF THE STATEWIDE STUDY ARE AVAILABLE AS VT 004 782-VT 004 786. (JM)