Small farmers are a diverse group, ranging from part-time hobbyists with good off-farm jobs to full-time operators. General rural development policies, rather than traditional farm policies, may be the best method to help those small farmers who earn insufficient income. (JHZ)

Survey information from 1,616 farm families in Wisconsin, Mississippi, and Tennessee was used to construct a viability ratio measuring a family's ability to meet its obligations from total income. Coupled with other farm characteristics, the ratio allows policymakers to see why some farms are viable and others are not. (JHZ)

Examines trends in nature of work and workers' educational achievement levels in rural and urban regions. While most rural industries specialize in "routine" manufacturing, the South and West have grown in "complex" (often high-tech) manufacturing jobs. Suggests key to growth of complex jobs is worker education. (Author/TES)