A FARM YEAR EVENT

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28180, 19 January 1957, Page 9

A FARM YEAR EVENT

Seventh Conference At Lincoln

SIR BRUCE LEVY TO BE GUEST SPEAKER

The annual farmers’ conference held at Canterbury Agricultural College. Lincoln, is now a wellestablished feature of the farming year in Canterbury and the South Island. The seventh conference will be held at the college on May 22, 23 and 24 when the guest speaker will be Sir Bruce Levy, formerly Director of the Grassland Division, who will discuss the future of grassland farming in New Zealand.

Nearly half the programme will be devoted to papers and discussions on the beef industry of the South Island. Mr John Ormond, chairman of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, will explain the board’s policy on beef production in the South Island. Mr R. H. Scott, economist to the Department of Agriculture, will present the results of a survey of beef cattle in the South Island. Mr E. G. Griffiths, Agriculture and Food Adviser in the office of the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom in New Zealand, will discuss some aspects of the beef industry in Britain. A veterinarian will deal with the problem of fertility in beef cattle, and several farmers, among them Mr Jack Acland, of Mount Peel, will de- ! scribe their methods of beef-cattle farming. A full session will be given to papers and discussions on the results of aerial farming in the South Island. Many farmers have 1 had outstanding results from the use of the aeroplane in rabbit control, the sowing of seeds and the application .of fertiliser, and some of these have been asked to give their own story to the conference. Mr H. Sievwright, of the Department of Agriculture, will summarise the results of this type of work in the Mackenzie Country.

Inspections of selected activities on the college farms have now become an established part of the conference. This year talks will be given by members of the college staff on present research projects, such as lucerne improvement and diseases of livestock. These talks will be followed by a farm inspection.

The total number of seats available at the 1957 conference will be 400 and admission will be strictly by ticket only. Applications by members of Federated Farmers to attend the conference should be made not later than March 31 to the provincial secretaries of Federated Farmers. Members of Young Farmers’ Clubs should apply to the secretary of the Canterbury Council, Department of Agriculture. Christchurch, or to the secretary of the Otago-Southland Council, Department of Agriculture. Dunedin, also not later "'than March 31. Applications should be accompanied by the conference fee of £2, which covers routine expenses, morning and afternoon tea, and lunch for the three days, and a copy of the printed proceedings. The membership fee will entitle a member to a separate ticket for each day, together with a copy of the proceedings. He may transfer a ticket to another farmer for the day if he so desires. It is not possible to issue tickets to individual farmers to attend the conference for one day only. A limited amount of accommodation is available at the college at a cost of £3 5s for the three days. When making application for tickets farmers should state if they wish to apply for accommodation, and enclose the boarding fee.