Young Farmers’ Big Stock Increase

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31653, 13 April 1968, Page 10

Young Farmers’ Big Stock Increase

Five young North Canterbury farmers are expected to carry an extra 3900 ewe equivalents this year, compared with last year. This is an average Increase of 780 ewe equivalents in one year for each farm, says Mr M. J. H. Davison, a farm advisory officer of the Department of Agriculture at Rangiora. In total it represents a 30 per cent increase in stock numbers in one year. The farmers are Messrs W. D. Coop, Gowan Hill, Weka Pass; R. B. Savill, The Percival, Hanmer; M. F. Vernon, Toppesfield, Waiau; W. A. Yates, Astrop, Hawarden; and J. R. N. Zino, Flaxmere, Hawarden. “A number of factors have contributed to these notable stock increases,” says Mr Davison. “One significant aspect has been that in 1966 these five young farmers formed themselves into a farm discussion group. The aim of this group has been to meet regularly (monthly if pos-

Sib i!?? on the farms. All aspects of farming are J nd ’ if necessary, criticised. This includes everything from leisure time to personal drawings and debt commitments. I f ee i that one of the strong p oints of this discussion group has been the complete frankness with which all these aspects have been discussed.

“Generally, a meeting starts about 1.30 p.m. with a brief run-down on the farm and the programme. Next is a trip round the farm after

which the group spends an hour or two discussing and criticising all aspects of the farm and programme. “Budgets are drawn up for all the farms—Mr Yates, under the Lincoln Farm Advisory Service, Mr Vernon under a private consultant and Messrs Coop, Savill and Zino with the Department of Agriculture, Rangiora. “Either Mr Kent or myself from the Department of Agriculture, Rangiora, have endeavoured to be present at all meetings to help where pos-

sible. ’ “For each year that these farmers have been in their present farms (Messrs Coop, Savill, Yates and Zino since 1966 and Mr Vernon since 1967) the average increase in stock numbers will have been about 650 ewe equivalents a year a farm. This is 5850 ewe equivalents since these farms were taken over, or a 58 per cent increase in total stock numbers (a 58 per cent increase in an average time of 1.8 years). This is a commendable effort."