The drop-out rate of new vocational agriculture teachers and the necessity of a method to determine problem areas that affect the success of beginning teachers were two important concerns of the Southern Research Conference in Agricultural Education. Therefore, a study was conducted to determine what, if any, changes need to be made by teacher education departments to improve the preparation of teachers of vocational agriculture. The population of the study was 295 first- or second-year vocational agriculture teachers (of a possible 886) in the 13 states comprising the membership of the Conference. The beginning teachers who responded to the survey (75 percent) answered 18 specific questions regarding their teaching situations and personal characteristics. It was determined that the beginning teachers had an average age of 26.8 years, an average of 2.4 years work experience in agriculture, and an average of 64 students; 19 percent had masters degrees, and approximately 93 percent of all beginning teachers were male. Areas constituting a moderate problem for the beginning teachers were a high number of students with low academic ability, adapting instruction for students with low academic ability, motivating students and keeping them interested, and coordinating the activities of an active young farmer organization. Also rated as being close to a moderate problem were planning and implementing programs for adults, making the agriculture program a career preparation, and obtaining proper facilities and equipment. In addition, a significant relationship was found between some of the teacher characteristics and certain problem situations. The study may hold implications for teacher education, inservice programs, certification of beginning agriculture teachers, and supervision of beginning teachers. (KC)