National ’phone-in’ on sheep flock of the future

Press, 24 June 1983, Page 10

National ’phone-in’ on sheep flock of the future

Sheepfarmers throughout the country are being invited to take part in a television and telephone link-up with animal scientists and marketing experts to discuss flock development and market needs. Called “Flock of ■ the Future,” the project is a cooperative venture by Television New Zealand, the Society of Animal Production, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the Agricultural Training Council.

The programme aims to give farmers a chance to express a concern apparent in the sheep industry at the lack of direction and agreement on what the “flock of the future” should be.

It will try to establish the characteristics of such a flock in the light of market needs, and to show how farmers should implement any new breeding policies. The nation-wide link-up and associated panel discussions and regional “workshop” meetings will take place in July. All sheepfarmers are being invited to participate. The Agricultural Training Council believes the questions which should be addressed are: • What should the individual farmer’s breeding objectives be for his “flock of the future?”

• Why are these objectives so varied and confused at the present time? They will be addressed in two telecasts featuring panels of animal scientists, farmers and marketing officials.

The project began with a discussion by a panel of breeding and marketing experts and farmers at the Ruakura Farmers Conference on June 14 which was filmed and will be telecast on Channel 2 on Sunday, July 10 from 8 aim. to 9 a.m.

Immediately after the telecast, farmers will be able to telephone animal scientists assembled at

Whangarei, Hamilton, Hastings, Christchurch, Timaru and Dunedin to ask questions and to put forward views. The telephone numbers to be used will be made known through the regional agricultural training officers of the Agricultural Training Council. The essential points brought out in the first telecast and the matters raised afterwards by farmers in the telephone link-up will be discussed at workshops to be held by the Agricultural Training Council in association with Federated Farmers and the M.A.F. between July 11 and July 15 at Pukekohe, Hastings, Ashburton and Gore. Prominent farmers from each region and animal scientists will assemble for the workshop sessions. From these four workshops are expected to come an expression of farmer opinion and recommendations arising from the contributions of scientists and marketing officials. The major issues will be dealt with by a second panel of animal scientists and marketing experts and broadcast on Channel 2 on Sunday, July 24 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The project is aimed at setting guidelines for the development of flocks to meet future market opportunities.. It is being seen as a first in the use of electronic media for the mass discussion of an industry economic problem.