RURAL YOUTH ARE BEING UTILIZED IN ONE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY TO ALLEVIATE A SHORTAGE OF WORKERS FOR SEASONAL FARM JOBS. NINETY FIVE BOYS BETWEEN THE AGES OF SIXTEEN AND TWENTY WERE ENROLLED IN A TWO DAY FAMILIARIZATION AND SAFETY COURSE ON ORCHARD EQUIPMENT. THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE WAS FOR ORIENTATION AND NOT TO PRODUCE EXPERIENCED EQUIPMENT OPERATORS. THE CROP GROWERS OF THE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE ORIENTATION COURSE. IN ADDITION TO CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION THE BOYS WERE GIVEN A THIRTY MINUTE INSTRUCTIONAL PERIOD WITH EACH OF THE VARIOUS PIECES OF EQUIPMENT USED IN HARVESTING THE CROPS. THE GROWERS REPORTED THAT BOYS WHO RECEIVED THIS TRAINING EARNED FROM $1.40 TO $3.00 PER HOUR, WITH SOME EARNING AS MUCH AS $700.00 DURING THE SEASON. THIS SPEECH WAS PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL OUTLOOK CONFERENCE ON RURAL YOUTH, OCTOBER 23-26, 1967, WASHINGTON, D. C., SPONSORED JOINTLY BY THE U. S. DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE, INTERIOR, AND LABOR, OEO, AND THE PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON YOUTH OPPORTUNITY. (ES)