Recognizing the need for competency-based teacher education to become more closely coordinated with the field of experience of teachers, the study focuses on identifying professional competencies which majors in agriculture and natural resources education should have developed prior to student teaching. Based on interviews with four supervising teachers, a checklist of competencies was prepared and mailed to 27 vocational agriculture teachers (who had served as supervising teachers) who were asked to rank the degrees of need for mastery of each competency. The analysis of the 20 respondents indicates a great or considerable need for student teachers to have developed several competencies prior to their field work. Ratings are presented in tabular form. Nine of the highly rated competencies (instructional planning, instructional materials and resources, conducting instruction, supervised occupational experience programs, working with FFA, evaluating instruction, counseling, maintaining community relations, and maintaining a professional role) are summarized. Recommendations stress coordination of the segments of teacher education programs and improvement of these programs. An appendix containing the checklist of competencies and accompanying letter conclude the report. (JB)