The social, cultural and economic issues of America's migrant farmworkers are producing an ever widening gap between the farmworker community and mainstream society. Comprehensive and coordinated efforts by public and private sectors are needed to stabilize the farm labor force and to permanently resolve the migrant farmworkers problems. The efforts should include housing projects, health services, and education programs. Compliance and strict enforcement of existing laws, rather than creating new laws, is needed for the protection of worker health and safety. Educational efforts need to focus on providing migrant farmworkers and their families with academic and vocational instruction that will enable them to choose among alternative ways of living. Migrant education programs, as promulgated in the Adult Education Act, should be funded by Congress. Data are unavailable regarding size, characteristics, or distribution of the population. A centralized information collection agency on migrant workers should be established. Social isolation, the lack of decent and affordable housing, and inaccurate perceptions of the migrant farmworker also contribute to the plight of this population. Federal funds for employment and training programs to place farmworkers into stable, well paying jobs in the private sector accommodate no more than 5 percent of the need. Efforts to provide skills training upgrades and higher job placement within the agriculture industry have not progressed for lack of commitments by both government and the agriculture industry. The farmworker community should be empowered politically and economically in order to obtain an equal share of federal and state resources and services for its unique needs. (LP)