Rationalising of advisory services

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32702, 3 September 1971, Page 20

Rationalising of advisory services

The rationalising of advisory services to farmers was suggested by Mr V. A. Ashworth, president of the New Zealand Society of Farm Management, in an address to the joint conference of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural Science and four other societies last week. Mr Ashworth said that a complete and analytical appraisal of the future role of extension services was required. This would embrace the universities, Department of Agriculture, Dairy Board, Meat and Wool Boards, farm improvement clubs, public consultants, commercial firms and other Government departments. The demand for farm management advice had expanded considerably in recent years, he said, and this trend was likely to continue. There was evidence from overseas that governments were objecting to the cost of maintaining complete governmentstaffed extension services and Mr Ashworth added that he believed that a government here would ultimately not be much different. It was clear that the United Kingdom Govern-

ment had decided to reverse its previous policy of providing Government farm advisers for all British farmers. Since at least the late 1950 s Mr Ashworth said it had seemed to be Government policy in New Zealand to be aiming at a complete coverage of the country with Government extension workers, irrespective of the numbers of other advisers and where they were located. If this was the case, then he suggested that the Department of Agriculture should be considering the coverage provided by other organisations, whether they be free or otherwise, when examining its own staffing requirements. The Government, he said, should ensure that all farmers had the opportunity to use an advisory service if they wished, but this might not necessarily be one involving Government advisers. This would appear to be a more rational use of limited resources. Mr Ashworth said that he saw the future role of the government in on-farm advisory services diminishing. It was likely that the best use of national resources would be for the Government to confine its role to research, extension by mass media, and provision of specialist services. These specialist services to private organisations would be on a fee-paying basis.