FARMING AFFAIRS

Chronicle (Levin), 26 March 1949, Page 6

FARMING AFFAIRS

Field Pea Seed The certification of field pea seed, in a manner similar to that adopted Cor pasture seeds in New Zealand, is planned by the Department of Agriculture. The Small "Seeds Advisory Committee of the department has proposed sueh a scheme followink a reijuest for certification . made by the Agriculture Section Council of Federated Farmers, . , - ; The Director-General of Agriculture has hotified the Federation that while this was not an opportune time to intx-oduce a certification scheme for garden pea seeds, .the 4gronomy Division .bf the Departxfient »of Scientific and -Industrial Research -had already commenced an investigation into types and strains of both blue and partrid'ge peas with the intention* of building up a supply " of 'selec't'ed- ihaterial of those5 varieties. When that material was available it was proposed to introduce a scheme of certification covering both types of field peas. The action of Federated Farmers in asking for the introdUctiori of a certification scheme arose partly from the recent sale by some merchants of poor quality pea seed to Austrajia. Many complaints were receievd from New South Wales and it was felt that a certification scheme would be of proteetion to both New Zealand growers and overseas buyers. Farming Population Haw. many farmers. are there. in New Zealand? . . . ; . That questlon has been posed many times with. varying answers/y The-« re- ; cently published official iriferim' returns. of occUpations' taken from the -1945 • census, however, gives- the. ■ . ansVer as 61,657 including. agricultur- ; ists, mixed farmers, dairymen, sheepfarmers and the various classes of smaller primary producers. Dairyfarmers and sheep farmers make up the major part qf the whole group and total 49,533. They employ 17,934 males and females togfether with 3446 sharemilkers. The total number of people engaged in agricultural and pastor occupations are listed by the Census and Statistics Department as 108,873 males and 10,134 females. Dairy farmers form the largest single class, says Federated Farmers in a_ statement analysing the group figures. There are 24,473 males and 1,762 females listed in that:.. class. The next largest cla^g' - total/ being 13,539 mixed farmers. Sheep* farmers, of b/r(h\$exes, total 12,583. ! 'The pfeseht' Tnembership of Federated Farmdrs -recorded at December ;3i:,r-19f8/'as'''beih^ 47?628; rftpreleftts 75 per cent. of thd total employees engaged in primary production and over 87' per cent: of those engaged in those ' fm >?£ tefe'|Vhp dairy, meat and wool, and agriculture sections of the federation. Enrolments of further jnembers ,„are cQntinuing,