A study was conducted to determine whether a relationship exists between several selected socioeconomic characteristics and the adoption or non-adoption of soil testing as a farm management tool and to establish whether or not a statistically significant relationship exists between adopters and imperfect adopters (discontinuers). Data were collected from 166 Pennsylvania farmers whose names were supplied by the Pennsylvania State University Testing Service and county agents. Names from the testing service were known users of the soil testing program in 1970 and 1971. County agents were given the names of the known testers and asked to match them as nearly as possible by size and type of farm operation and, if possible, by neighborhood with names of nontesters or discontinuers. Each individual was interviewed by telephone. Results showed that nontesters had a lower level of formal education than those who had previously used soil testing. Nontesters were older than testers, had lower gross farm income, and lower organizational participation scores. Adopters were younger, had higher organizational participation, had nearly two additional years of formal schooling, were more likely to own their crop land, and were slightly more prone to adopt other farming innovations than were discontinuers. Nontesters who had considered testing had a higher level or organizational participation than other nontesters. Implication and limitations of the study are discussed. (Author/KM)