A STUDY ON FARMERS' USE OF SUGGESTED PRACTICES IN HANDLING ALFALFA CROP PRODUCTION WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE (1) IF SELECTED PERSONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS MIGHT AFFECT HAY PRODUCTION METHODS, (2) IF A DISCREPANCY EXISTS BETWEEN THE FARMER'S LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE OF QUALITY HAY PRODUCTION PRACTICES AND HIS USE OF THESE PRACTICES, AND (3) IF THIS DISCREPANCY EXISTS, IN WHAT AREAS. TWO SAMPLE GROUPS WERE USED. FOR ONE, KNOWLEDGE OF QUALITY HAY PRODUCTION PRACTICES WAS DETERMINED, AND FOR THE OTHER, THE USE OF THESE PRACTICES. THE GROUPS WERE MATCHED ON PERSONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. A MAILED QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DEVELOPED FOR EACH GROUP. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE KNOWLEDGE OF, AND THE USE OF, MOST FACTORS AND PRACTICES. POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR THE DIFFERENCES ARE DISCUSSED. THE STUDY SHOWED THAT AN INCREASE IN AGE REDUCED DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND USE FOR SOME PRACTICES, INCREASED THEM FOR OTHERS, AND HAD NO EFFECT ON THE REMAINDER. EDUCATION, OCCUPATIONAL RATING, AND SIZE OF OPERATION WERE POSITIVELY RELATED TO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND USE. THE BIBLIOGRAPHY INCLUDES 53 REFERENCES. (JA)