For higher country men

Press, 22 June 1979, Page 10

For higher country men

A wide range of topics of interest to hill and high country farmers has been included in a three-day seminar to be held at Lincoln College. Organised by the Tussock Grasslands and Mountain Lands Institute, it will run from Monday, July 2, to midday on July 4, according to the information officer at the institute, Mr B. T. Robertson. He says that perhaps the most topical session for hill and high country farmers will be that on rentals for pastoral leases on the first morning of the seminar. Mr I. C. G. Kerr, management officer at the institute, in collaboration with Lincoln’s reader in rural valuation, Mr R. Frizzell, and Professor B. J. Ross, will discuss the principles involved, and Mr Frizzell, in a follow-up paper, will discuss some of the problems associated with the valuation of land exclusive of improvements (unimproved value) and rent assessment. This session concludes with a panel discussion involving

Mr Kerr and Mr Frizzell as well as a farmer and a representative of the Valuation Department in Wellington.

“New Horizons” is the theme of the afternoon session, during which, opportunities for commercial recreation will be discussed by Mr G. A. Joll, of Lilybank Station. Mr P. Gresham, who has made a special study of commercial recreation in the high country and who now works with the Commission for the Environment, will participate in a panel discussion with Mr R. Usmar, Conservator of Forests, Invercargill, and Mr P. Yeoman, off the Mount Hutt Ski and Alpine Company. A paper by farm management consultant, Mr John Newson, from Southland, on new livestock opportunities, will be followed by a commentary from Mr A. J. Morrisey, of Edmonds Game Consolidated Ltd, Christchurch.

Forestry as an option for hill and high country farmers will be discussed in two papers — one by Mr A. H. Nordmeyer, of the Forest Research Institute, and the other by Dr W. A. N. Brown, a consultant economist from Christchurch. Soil and water resources, their management and use, are subjects guaranteed to stimulate discussion among hill and high country farmers. Understanding of hill and high country processes, has increased markedly in recent years, says Mr Robertson, and this will be reviewed by hydrologist. Dr J. A. Hayward, director of the Joint Centre for Environmental Sciences.

Regional resource planning will be discussed by Mr M. Douglass, consulting engineer and town planner from Christchurch, who was closely associated with the recently published Lower Waitaki preliminary

resource study. This summarises the water and soil resources of the area east of the Waitaki dam and suggests objectives for an outline management plan. Mr Robertson says the afternoon session on Tuesday, July 2, should be a particularly stimulating one. Problem solving research is the theme and contributions from leading scientists will cover four broad areas of interest to hill and high country farmers — pastures, animals, crops and machines. D.S.I.R. scientists Dr R. W. Brougham and Dr D. Scott will discuss pasture research; Dr A. J. Allison, director of the Invermay Agricultural Research Centre will review animal research, particularly that relevant to farm management: cropping will be covered by Dr J. G. H. White, of Lincoln College; and current technology in agricultural engineering will be discussed by Mr J. S. Dunn, of the New Zealand Agricultural Engineering Institute, Lincoln. This session closes with a commentary paper by MidCanterbury farmer, Mr J. R. Cocks, of Ashburton. The economics of hill and high country production will be reviewed by the director of the Meat and Wool Boards’ Economic Service, Mr N. W. Taylor. The results of a recent survey of production and performance on high country runs will be presented by Mr I. G. C. Kerr, .of the institute. Achieving better stock performance will also be discussed by Lincoln’s professor of animal science, Dr A. R. Sykes.

The seminar ends before lunch on Wednesday with a "forward look” by Professor K. F. O’Connor, director of the institute and professor of range management.

Mr Robertson said that limited accommodation is available at the college and early registration is advisable.