MECHANIZATION DOES NOT NECESSARILY DECREASE THE NUMBER OF SEASONAL FARM WORKERS NEEDED. SOME INNOVATIONS MERELY CHANGE THE JOB TO ONE THAT IS LESS UNPLEASANT, AND WORKERS FORMERLY DISINCLINED TO DO THE JOB BECOME AVAILABLE. MECHANIZATION MAY MAKE AN OPERATION SO EFFICIENT THAT ACREAGE AND PRODUCTION ARE INCREASED, AND MORE WORKERS ARE NEEDED. MUCH MECHANIZED HARVESTING IS NOT ECONOMICALLY PRACTICAL ALTHOUGH COMPETITION IS FORCING GROWERS AND PROCESSORS TO REEXAMINE BELIEFS THAT CONSUMERS WILL NOT ACCEPT MACHINE HARVESTED PRODUCTS OR THAT GROWING CONDITIONS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR MACHINE USE. MECHANIZATION SUGGESTS THE CREATION OF NEW MACHINES BUT MAY ALSO TAKE THE FORM OF TIME-SAVING INNOVATIONS INCLUDING PRECISION PLANTING, CHEMICAL TREATMENT FOR WEEDS, NEW KINDS OF SEEDS, AND HORTICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS OF PLANT VARIETIES SUITABLE FOR MACHINE HARVESTING. THE PROSPECTS FOR MECHANIZATION OF TOBACCO, COTTON, STRAWBERRIES, TOMATOES, SNAP BEANS, BUSHBERRIES, POTATOES, SUGAR CROPS, GRAPES, CHERRIES, APPLES, CITRUS, CUCUMBERS, ASPARAGUS, CELERY, PEACHES, AND OTHER TREE FRUITS, AND STATES WHERE THE NEED FOR SEASONAL WORKERS IS GREATEST OR MOST DIFFICULT TO FILL ARE DISCUSSED. MECHANIZATION WILL PROBABLY HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON COTTON CHOPPING IN THE SOUTH, SNAP BEAN HARVESTING IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, AND CHERRY HARVESTING IN THE MIDWEST. TOBACCO, STRAWBERRY, AND CITRUS HARVESTING PRESENT SEEMINGLY INSUPERABLE PROBLEMS, AND PEAK LABOR NEEDS FOR THESE CROPS WILL REMAIN HIGH. LABOR SAVINGS DUE TO INNOVATIONS IN COTTON HARVESTING AND SUGAR BEET CULTIVATION HAVE ALMOST RUN THEIR COURSE. SOME FORM OF MECHANIZATION IS POSSIBLE IN ALMOST ALL CROPS DEPENDING ON ECONOMIC PRESSURES AFFECTING PRODUCTION OF THE CROP IN ANY GIVEN AREA. THIS DOCUMENT APPEARED IN "FARM LABOR DEVELOPMENTS," APRIL 1967. (WB)