Emergence of a dual agricultural system, need for sophisticated knowledge and equipment, declining importance of labor, and geographic and organizational concentration of the production and processing of certain commodities are creating changes in rural communities. While some changes will have negative social/economic impacts, the importance of these changes for rural communities should not be exaggerated. Although many rural communities, especially in commercial farming areas such as the corn belt, are heavily dependent on agriculture, much of agriculture is also dependent on the rural community. Aspects of agricultural/community relationships being studied include agriculture and social interaction/quality of life, agriculture and trade patterns, farm and nonfarm income/employment in rural communities, development of satellite systems, loss of the value added nature of the farm product, and concentrated production systems. Future descriptive/analytical study of contemporary rural communities should focus on primary mode of production and proximity to metropolitan areas. Failure to recognize social, economic, and demographic diversity within rural areas, combined with changing relationships between agriculture and the remainder of the rural community leads to inaccurate development policies. With the current crisis in agriculture producing major changes in local agribusiness structure, it is imperative that researchers, extension personnel, and policy-makers be aware of current structures and their interrelationships in rural communities. (NEC)