THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY WERE TO DETERMINE--(1) THE STATUS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIAN TRAINING PROGRAMS, (2) ADMINISTRATORS' DEGREE OF EMPHASIS ON CERTAIN PROCEDURES FOR DEVELOPING SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS, AND (3) TENTATIVE GUIDELINES FOR USE IN PLANNING AND CONDUCTING PROGRAMS. OF 44 INSTITUTIONS IDENTIFIED AND CONTACTED, 25 REPORTED TRAINING PROGRAMS, IDENTIFIED PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS, AND REPORTED THE DEGREE OF EMPHASIS GIVEN CERTAIN PROCEDURES. GUIDELINES FOR PLANNING AND CONDUCTING PROGRAMS WERE SYNTHESIZED AND SUBMITTED TO A JURY OF EXPERTS FOR REFINEMENT AND EVALUATION. FURTHER REFINEMENT RESULTED FROM THE INVESTIGATOR'S VISIT TO A NUMBER OF INSTITUTIONS. GUIDELINES, THUS DEVELOPED, WHICH RECEIVED A MEAN RATING OF 3.00 ON A FOUR-POINT SCALE WERE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT AND CONCERNED THE FOLLOWING AREAS--(1) OBJECTIVES, (2) PROGRAM TYPE, (3) CURRICULUM CONTENT, (4) STUDENT RECRUITMENT, (5) STUDENT SELECTION, (6) COUNSELING, (7) PLACEMENT AND FOLLOWUP, (8) RESIDENCE FACILITIES, (9) INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, (10) FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT, (11) PROGRAM ACCEPTANCE, (12) EVALUATION, (13) ACCREDITATION AND LICENSING, AND (14) LOCATION. THE 15 CONCLUSIONS INCLUDED--(1) MOST OF THE PROGRAMS WERE IN 4-YEAR COLLEGES, (2) MANY PROGRAMS WERE DEVELOPING IN OTHER TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS, AND (3) MOST PROGRAMS HAD SMALL ENROLLMENTS, BUT COULD BE EXPECTED TO GROW. (JM)