THIS PROJECT IS SUBMITTED AS AN INTEGRATED STANDARD GRANT IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES UNDER PRIORITY AREA - SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMS PROGRAM AREA.LABOR IS A CRITICAL ISSUE LIMITING FARMS FROM SCALING-UP THEIR PRODUCTION TO SUPPLY EMERGING MARKETS. BUT IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF DIMINISHING LABOR, ESCALATING WAGES AND NARROW PROFIT MARGINS, FARM LABOR IS PROVING TO BE AN AMORPHOUS PUZZLE WITH MANY MOVING PARTS. THIS PROJECT EXAMINES THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE EXISTING LABOR POOL(S), OPPORTUNITIES FOR MECHANIZATION, ADOPTION OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, AND THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYEE SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS THAT BEST ENABLE FARMERS TO IDENTIFY AN OPTIMAL MIX OF LABOR NEEDED TO ATTAIN THEIR BUSINESS GOALS. USING QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE METHODS THE TEAM WILL EXAMINE SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARM LABOR APPROACHES AND LEARN HOW THESE APPROACHES ALIGN WITH THE FARM OPERATOR'S GOALS, ATTITUDES TOWARD MECHANIZATION AND TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION, MANAGEMENT STYLE AND MARKET CHANNELS. WE WILL ALSO EXAMINE HOW DIFFERENT STRATEGIES ALIGN WITH FARMERS' AGE, SEX, AND EDUCATION LEVEL. WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES OF GROWERS, RESEARCHERS, AND EXTENSION EDUCATORS WE WILL RESEARCH HOW FARMERS APPROACH DECISION-MAKING REGARDING LABOR NEEDS.WE WILL USE THAT INFORMATION TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE DECISION-SUPPORT TOOLS TO ASSIST FARMERS IN ADDRESSING LABOR NEEDS. INCREASING FARMER CONFIDENCE IN THE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF LABOR NEEDED ENHANCES THE FARM HOUSEHOLD'S QUALITY OF LIFE AND INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD FARMERS WILL SUCCESSFULLY SCALE THEIR BUSINESSES TO MORE SUSTAINABLE LEVELS. THE DECISION-SUPPORT TOOLS WILL BE LOCATED ON THE EXISTING FARM LABOR DASHBOARD WITH USER GUIDES AND LINKS TO EXISTING LABOR MANAGEMENT EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS.