The =Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service= (ASCS) is planning to put small computers into all its county offices starting in 1985. They will keep lists of farmers and their acreage allotments and bases, record set-aside histories, and record and maintain the other myriad facts necessary to make the USDA farm programs work. The system will keep farm records, addresses for mailings, election registers, and records of payments. Even checks to pay farmers will be produced by the decentralized county computer systems. The computers will also be tied into State systems and a central computer for some recordkeeping functions, and can be used for electronic mail and other communications. One function of the new system will be to mesh FAS trade opportunity leads into the ASCS data base. This will permit a farmer or local agribusiness person to go into the ASCS office and immediately learn about trade leads reported by agricultural attaches. This program will go into operation during the mid-1980's. The =Economic Research Service= (ERS) releases its Outlook and Situation reports through AGNET. Summaries of these are available through USDA Online. =Learning More About Computers on the Farm= The computer field is changing so fast that it is difficult to keep up with the changes. One way to keep current is to join a users group for your particular brand of computer, or an agricultural users group. Another way to get up-to-date information about new computer hardware and software products is to read a private newsletter. Some of these are: AgriComp 1001 East Walnut, Suite 201 Columbia, MO 65201 Agricultural Computing Doane-Western, Inc. 8900 Manchester Road St. Louis, MO 63144 Agricultural Microcomputing Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology Ridgetown, Ontario CANADA NOP 2CO Compu-Farm Alberta Agricultural Box 2000 Olds, Alberta CANADA TOM 1PO Computer Farming Newsletter Lloyd Dinkins P.O. Box 22642 Memphis, TN 38122 Farm Computer News Successful Farming 1716 Locust Street Des Moines, IA 50336 Friendly Farm Computer Newsletter FBS Systems, Inc. P.O. Box 201 Aledo, IL 61231 =Glossary of Computer Terms= Listed below are some of the shorthand or jargon terms in the computer field. Understanding these terms will help you discuss hardware and software systems and their operation. =ADDRESS:= A number specifying a particular location in the computer's memory. =BASIC (Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code):= A relatively easy-to-use computer language that comes with most small and personal computer systems. =BAUD RATE:= The speed at which information is exchanged over communications lines, generally expressed in characters per second. 300 baud is the most common rate. It is equivalent to 30 characters per second.