Louisiana Annual Rural Manpower Report, MA 5-79, 1976.

Stressing the provision of services to migrants and seasonal farmworkers in keeping with the U.S. District Court Order requiring and quantitatively proportionate service to this labor segment, the Rural Manpower Service provided a comprehensive program of service to all rural elements in Louisiana. Working in close conjunction with the Service was the Monitor Advocate whose duties included: insuring compliance with the court order; participating in on-site reviews, evaluations, and validations; and offering suggestions that would insure equity of service to all users of the Employment Service facilities. In 1976, a considerable number of rural residents commuted to adjacent urban and rural areas seeking and maintaining employment. The rural economy stopped its downward spiral as overall employment increased and unemployment decreased. There were no important changes in agricultural mechanization or production techniques that had an appreciable effect on employment. Area Offices operated 55 out-reach operations in areas removed from the effective range of offices. Summarizing the 1976 accomplishments, this report presents data on: economic developments, employment and unemployment trends, family and regular hired workers, seasonal agricultural employment, community development, public relations, day-haul activities, composition of interstate farm migrants, commercial fisheries, and the production from the cotton, sugar cane, strawberry, tung nut, and rice agricultural areas. (NQ)