OFF-FARM AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS WERE ASSESSED AS A BASIS FOR PROJECTING AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES INCLUDED (1) IDENTIFICATION OF FIRMS EMPLOYING PERSONS WITH AGRICULTURAL COMPETENCIES, (2) DETERMINATION OF NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES IN OFF-FARM AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS, (3) DETERMINATION OF THE JOB ENTRY REQUIREMENTS, AND (4) IDENTIFICATION OF APPROPRIATE OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS AT HIGH SCHOOL AND POST-HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS. AN INSTRUMENT WAS DESIGNED, VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE TEACHERS WERE TRAINED AS INTERVIEWERS, AND INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED IN 1,717 FIRMS IN 12 GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF THE STATE. IN THESE FIRMS, 13,851 OFF-FARM AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYEES WERE IDENTIFIED IN 239 DIFFERENT JOB TITLES, WITH AN ANTICIPATED INCREASE OF 1,071 EMPLOYEES IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS. RECOMMENDATIONS WERE (1) USE OF DATA AS A BASIS FOR PROGRAM CHANGE AND STUDENT GUIDANCE, (2) FURTHER ANALYSIS OF GEOGRAPHIC AREAS AND EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS, (3) DEVELOPMENT OF A PILOT FORESTRY TECHNICIAN PROGRAM, (4) UTILIZATION OF OTHER PILOT PROGRAMS TO DETERMINE DIRECTIONS, (5) CONSIDERATION OF THE FEASIBILITY OF A FORESTRY INSTITUTE, (6) INVOLVEMENT OF OTHER VOCATIONAL EDUCATION SERVICES IN PLANNING PROGRAMS, AND (7) CONDUCT OF ADDITIONAL STUDIES CONCERNING PREEMPLOYMENT AND INSERVICE EDUCATION IN CERTAIN NON-FARM OCCUPATIONS, TEACHER EDUCATION FOR NON-FARM AGRICULTURE, AND PROVISION OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR THOSE PREPARING FOR EMPLOYMENT IN NON-FARM AGRICULTURE. (JM)