The Hired Farm Working Force of 1981

In 1981, approximately 2.5 million people 14 years of age and over did farmwork for cash wages and salary. The racial/ethnic composition of the work force was 73 percent white, 13 percent Hispanic, and 14 percent black and other. Fifty-five percent of the farmworkers were under 25 years old and 77 percent were male. At the time of the survey, more farmworkers resided in the South (40 percent) and North Central (28 percent) regions than in the Northeast and West. About four of five workers had nonfarm residences. The average annual earnings in 1981 were $4,299, of which $2,659 came from an average of 98 days of farmwork. Migrant workers accounted for only about 5 percent of all hired farmworkers