FARMING AFFAIRS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 68, 18 August 1947, Page 3

FARMING AFFAIRS

SHEEP INDUSTRY COMMISSION This column is supplied weekly by Federated Farmers of New Zealand. The information given is official but any views expressed are those of the Federation and are not necessarily those of this newspaper. Provincial executives of Federated Farmers have now the duty of collecting evidence for'presentation before the Fv.oyal Commission on the sheep industry. Certain directions and suggestions have accordingly been circulated from head office and provinces are urged to procure definite evidence in regard to the trend in carrying capacity on the various classes of lands. The Commission is bound to require details of the proportion of both dry stock and cattle carried now as compared with previous years. The use of cattle on North Island

hill country is bound to be examined. The Commission will want to know the return from cattle compared to that from sheep, and the possible effect of cattle in preventing erosion.

Trends in the various items of farms costs will, too, be of importance, long-term trends in particular. Similarly with changes in the percentages of net income as related to the capital involved, be required. Those changes will indicate the comparative position of farming and other industries. Definite evidence will also be required of the aggregate changes due to loss of fertility on representative properties. It will probably be necessary to establish that the increases in production on the more easily worked land has marked the fall in production on the poorer lands.

Some evidence may be called for as to the suitability of different country, as also will be the cost of the control of pests. The labour position must be examined thoroughly. Instances will probably be quoted of properties where the control of scrub, for ex-

ample, is so great as to discourage intending buyers. In the South Island, mustering costs in the high country, will be needed, and over-all evidence should be prepared relating to the sheep farmer’s income to returns.

Evidence is more important than opinion in the examination and provinces are asked to concentrate on giving evidence on the particular problems affecting their areas, in addition to general evidence on the industry. Specific examples should be collected of land that has gone out of production over a period, and of farms reverting, to scrub or otherwise deteriorating despite “book” profits because of lack of maintenance. Low profit margin farms should be used in evidence and examples of farms where the cost of deferred maintenance in the form of deterioration of farm buildings,

fencing, machinery etc. more than

set-off the “book” profits. All such examples should be supported by

accounts and personal evidence of the farmers concerned.