Young farmer world event

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34026, 15 December 1975, Page 16

Young farmer world event

Plans are being made for an “agricultural extravaganza” in Kansas City in the United States, next year.

The Future Farmers of America (the American counterpart of Young Farmers’ Clubs) will be host to the First World Agricultural Conference and Agricultural Olympics in Kansas City from November 8 to 13. Accommodation will be offered by F.F.A. members to visitors for a week before and after the convention. Mr D. Anderson, of Cheviot, the national president of the Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs, attended a planning conference in Kansas last month, and was impressed by the strong nationalistic spirit of the F.F.A. members and by the huge scale on which the convention was being organised. Big stadium The tractor-driving competition in the Agricultural Olympics, for example, was to be held in an indoor sports stadium with a floor area as large as three Rugby fields. For the conference, it was expected that an expert on world agriculture — from the Food and Agriculture Organisation or the Club of Rome — would be invited to speak, For the Agricultural

Olympics, five aspects of farming in various parts of the world would be the subject of competitions.

In the tractor section there will be maintenance, fault-finding and driving tests. Under the heading of agricultural mechanics, competitors will be required to undertake such tasks as building a wall, a toolbox, starting a small motor, and welding. Pruning and trimming will come into the "viticulture” section, and in the soils and plants section questions will be asked about 50 crops and their requirements. Poultry, dairy and beef cattle, sheep and pigs will be the subject of competitions in the livestock section. "Viniculture,” grafting and judging of flowers, will also be tested. Mr Anderson said he felt that young farmers from New Zealand could learn a great deal from going to the conference and mixing with young farmers from other parts of the world. Suggestion He suggested that at least two representatives from Young Farmers’ Clubs in secondary schools should be sent as Future Farmers of America. Representatives would be aged between 18 and 20.

Each country would be allowed five competitors under 23 years in the Agricultural Olympics and five adult leaders.