A SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED BY MAIL QUESTIONNAIRE TO GATHER DATA ON THE FARM POPULATION OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, TO GET NAMES OF COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND PROVIDE MOTIVATION FOR EXTENSION PROGRAM PLANNING. THE MEAN AGE OF RESPONDENTS WAS 50, THE LARGE MAJORITY WITH CHILDREN AT HOME, THREE-FOURTHS NATIVE TO CALIFORNIA, ONE-HALF BEING BORN IN THE COUNTY. THE MODAL GRADE OF SCHOOL COMPLETED WAS 12. MOST HAD SPENT AT LEAST SIX YEARS ON THEIR FARMS, 48 PERCENT BEING IN ANIMAL SCIENCE AND 46 PERCENT IN PLANT SCIENCE. ALTHOUGH THE MAJORITY BELONGED TO FEWER THAN TWO GROUPS, THEY RANKED THE FARM BUREAU CENTER AND THE AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE HIGHLY. MOST WOULD PREFER MIDWEEK EVENING PANEL DISCUSSIONS OF ONE TO TWO HOURS IN THE WINTER MONTHS. THEY FELT THAT LOCAL PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING AND IMPROVEMENTS. OF LEADERSHIP QUALITIES, THEY RATED INTEGRITY, RESPECT BY OTHERS, AND MORALITY HIGHEST. NEWSPAPERS, RADIO, AND FARM ORGANIZATION PAPERS RANKED HIGH IN USAGE. THIS MASTERS THESIS IS AVAILABLE FROM WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY, PULLMAN. 101 PAGES. (PT)