A SYNOPSIS OF CHARACTERISTICS AND COMMUNICATIONS BEHAVIOR OF ADOPTERS OF NEW FARM IDEAS, AND AN INTRODUCTION TO HOW AN AGGRESSIVE MARKETING PROGRAM CAN BE KEYED TO THE DIFFUSION PROCESS AND ADOPTION STATUS OF FARMERS IS PRESENTED. THE DIFFUSION PROCESS INVOLVES THE SPREAD OF NEW IDEAS FROM THE SOURCES OF DEVELOPMENT TO THE ADOPTER THROUGH COMMUNICATION. IN THE ADOPTION PROCESS, AN INDIVIDUAL PASSES THROUGH THE STAGES OF AWARENESS, INTEREST, EVALUATION, TRIAL, AND ADOPTION. TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS IN FARMING TEND TO FLOW FROM THE IMPERSONAL SOURCES TO THE EARLIER ADOPTERS AND FROM THEM AS PERSONAL COMMUNICATION TO THE LATER ADOPTERS. EARLY ADOPTERS REPRESENT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING PICTURE. THE 3,778 MEMBERS OF THE DOANE COUNTRYWIDE FARM PANEL UNDER 45 YEARS OF AGE WERE SURVEYED TO DETERMINE WHETHER A RELATIONSHIP EXISTS BETWEEN A FARMER'S HAVING STUDIED VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE AND HIS PRESENT ADOPTION STATUS. EACH FARMER ON THE PANEL WAS CATEGORIZED AS AN EARLY ADOPTER, A MIDDLE ADOPTER, OR A LATE ADOPTER. THE PRIMARY COMPARISONS WERE MADE BETWEEN THOSE FARMERS WHO HAD VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE TRAINING AND THOSE WHO HAD NONE. THERE TENDED TO BE A HIGHER PROPORTION OF EARLY ADOPTERS AMONG THOSE FARMERS WHO HAD VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT AGRICULTURAL MARKETERS SHOULD CONSIDER THE FUTURE FARMERS WITH VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE TRAINING AS THE ONES WHO BECOME EARLY ADOPTERS. (WB)