N.Z. GRASSLAND PRACTICES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28987, 31 August 1959, Page 15

N.Z. GRASSLAND PRACTICES

England Visitors’ Interest

Both the British Minister of Agriculture (Mr John Hare) and the deputy-director of the National Agricultural Advisory Service in Britain (Mr W. E Jones) art very interested in developments in grassland farming in New Zealand. Though considerable progress has been made in grassland farming in the United Kingdom tn recent years, Mr Hare said that they still had a lot to learn. “1 have never yet met a good farmer who still does not admit that he has a lot to learn," he said. Mr Jones said that there were strong marks of New Zealand practices in British grassland farming today. "Some five years ago Sir Bruce Levy came over to Britain and addressed thousands of our farmers,’* said Mr Jones "He has left a marked influence." , _ Another New Zealander, Professor M. M. Cooper, of the University of Durham, was also exerting a strong influence through his work. Mr Jones said that he was particularly interested in grass conservation for winter and winter utilisation, for while considerable progress had been made in summer management m Britain, with so much inside feeding in the winter conservation for this period and utilisation still remained a special problem. He was also interested m New Zealand work on improving hill country. "Some very interesting work has been done here with minor elements and also with aerial application of seeds as well as fertiliser,” he said. Mr Jones is also interested in the organisation of advisory services for farmers in New Zealand. He said he had been impressed by their efficiency and the fact that they seemed to be in contact with a large proportion of farmers. There were also developments in independent advisory services which looked interesting, and some of the c°P* modify boards such as the Dairy Board seemed to be operating very influential and efficient services.