In 1970 about a fourth of the country's farm workers were underage, working and living in conditions which are "sub-sub-substandard" in most parts of the country. These workers are often swindled or exploited by labor contractors or crew men. Since the work is seasonal, families are forced to travel great distances, under difficult circumstances, to "follow the crops". Wages, by the day or hour or at piece rates, are minimal. Farm labor is often dangerous and can be, with the new pesticides, extremely hazardous. Yet, health services are inadequate when available. The education of migrant children is far below the norm since many of them work when they should be in school. And worst of all, poverty locks these children into a cycle of poverty from which it is difficult to escape. The parents often feel that their children must work, so they collaborate with employers in evading the laws, which are inadequate. Historically most labor legislation, state and federal, has contained provisions exempting farm labor. The existing legislation aimed at prohibiting or regulating employment of minors in agriculture is laxly enforced. Utilizing interviews obtained from young and old, Chicano, Anglo, and Black migrants in many states, this book presents a detailed examination of the exploitation and maltreatment of the migrant children. The narrative, which moves briskly, focuses on the people--what they do, how they feel, how they live. Child labor in California, Florida, and Texas is compared; the migrant and seasonal farm labor structure and how the children fit into the larger picture are discussed. (Author/NQ)