Mr. President. for all practical purposes. migrant and seasonal farmworkers are excluded from coverage under the Social Security Act. although it is one of the few major areas of conventional Federal employee benefit programs in which farmworkers may receive even the slightest theoretical benefit. Since 1956 farm employment has been covered for social security purposes if the worker received cash wages amounting to at least $150 from one employer during the year. or if a worker worked for one employer 20 days or more during the year. A significant provision of the present law treats the crew leader as an employee of the farmer unless there is a written contract between the two that provides otherwise. The restrictions in the law effectively serve to deny coverage for the farmworker. First. the low rate of compensation and short periods of employment that characterize migrant and seasonal farmwork often prohibit him from meeting even the meager qualifying requirements set forth above. A further catch is that the 20day requirement must be for cash remuneration computed on a time basis rather than on a piece rate basis. As many farmworkers are paid on a piece rate basis the 20day provision has had limited practical effect.