HISPANIC MIGRANT LABORER HOMELESSNESS IN NEBRASKA: EXAMINING AGRICULTURAL RESTRUCTURING AS ONE PATH TO HOMELESSNESS.

The article presents information on homelessness in Nebraska. Homelessness as a visible social and economic problem has plagued the United States since the 1980's. During this time period research on urban homelessness has proliferated dramatically. Comparatively, little research on rural and agricultural region homelessness has been undertaken. A number of factors have contributed to the changes in the rural economies. Food producers and processors have faced intensively competitive markets in conditions of inelastic or falling demand. Farm productivity has steadily increased over the past 50 years generating accumulations of surpluses and depressing farm markets. Increases in worldwide agricultural production and lower domestic price supports further contributed to the lowering of farm incomes, creating economic conditions in which agribusinesses succeeded while family farms struggled. The result has been a general decline in farm employment and a trend towards fewer, larger and more efficient farms.