Farming Experts Look Ahead

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 790, 10 September 1954, Page 21

Farming Experts Look

Ahead

HAT is the future of farming in New Zealand? Six staff membets of Lincoln College and’ a member of the New Zealand Meat and Wool Boards discuss this question in a _ series’ of seven talks starting from 3YC at 7.30 p.m. this Saturday, September 11. The speakers are L. W. McCaskill, who _ introduces the subject; Dr. T.---W.. Walker, : who speaks on "Soils"; Professor J. B. Calder, who speaks on "Pastures and Crops"; Dr. A. E. -Henderson, on "Wool"; M. G. Hollard; on "Dairy Produce"; Dr. J. W. McLean, on "Animal Production"; and finally R. H.' Bevin, who sums up. What does this dis-

tinguished panel of experts think of our future as a farming nation? They all agree that the pattern of farming in the next two or, three decades, with its emphasis on meat, wool, and dairy products for export, isn’t likely to change much. The soil experts talk about the growing importance of trace elements, potash and sulphur. The relationship between increased use of fertilisers and stock health problems is ‘discussed in the light of increasing hogget losses at the present time. The first talk devotes some attention to the question of irrigation, which applies mainly to the lighter and drier lands of the South Ishand. Today we irrigate a mere 126,000 acres, when we could irrigate nearly three million. On some farms where irrigation has been

introduced, production has increased 400 per cent, so that the potential increase "is enormous. The use of aerial topdressing on hill country provides another hope for spectacular increases in production in the future. But as R. H. Bevin points_out in the final talk, the real increase in production which we achieve in the future depends in the long run on the amount of incentive given to farmers to produce more individually. "It seems to be agreed that we have a capable production machine-our soil, our stock, our pastures and our climate. But any machine is useless without a motive force, and in this case-and always-the individual farmers: are the force which drives: the machine."