N.Z.’s BIGGEST FARMER

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29239, 24 June 1960, Page 21

N.Z.’s BIGGEST FARMER

Lands And Survey Department

With stock numbers of 887,492 sheep, 1772 dairy cattle, and 142,128 run cattle, and wool clip of 7,777,609 lb., worth £1,235,008, the Lands and Survey Department can claim to be New Zealand’s largest farmer. This information is given in the department’s magazine "Landscape.” The magazine says that farming of newly-grassed country is primarily for consolidation, and control of second growth and weeds. The land also provides grazing for the department’s large breeding flocks and herds and brings in substantial revenue to help finance development. "The department’s wide use of rural aviation can be seen from the weight of fertiliser 35,644 tons) and seed (477.2821b5) sown on development blocks in 1958-59. The department’s contracts accounted for more than one-eleventh of the total weight of fertilisers and lime and onethird of the total seed sown by aeroplane in New Zealand,” says the magazine. “Operations were carried out from 88 of the department’s airstrips and 21 private strips. Of the 57 aerial topdressing operators in New Zealand, the department employed 32. “In 1949-50 the total tonnage of aerial topdressing over the whole of New Zealand was 5003 tons. By 1951-52 that tonnage had been exceeded by the department’s development blocks alone,” the magazine says.