M.P. encourages small-farm owners

Press, 9 June 1980, Page 12

M.P. encourages small-farm owners

Land-use /k- planners should concentrate on finding ways to encourage owners of small plots of land to use that land to its fullest productive capacity, the Under-Secretary of Agriculture (Mr Talbot) has said at Lincoln College.

Speaking during his opening address at the annual conference of the New Zealand Association of Small Fanners, Mr Talbot said small farms, being used as either a stepping stone to a larger property or in their own right, were capable of con triouting to the expansion and diversification of New Zealand’s agriculture in a significant way.

In conjunction with more creative land use, planning recognition should be given to the positive contribution small farmers can make. . '

Negative . reaction to small farms had brought about poor planning techniques. Setting minimum sub-division limits created certain size standards . . .

about four hectares. This led to situations where some people bought

more land than they required and those blocks bei. came under-used. Poor use •'was also created by housing restrictions. Mr Talbot said. .

He said owners of small blocks who were restricted from living on them .often were unable to perform as well as they would if they lived ', on the land they farmed.

Only a few studies of the effectiveness of small farming, compared with larger blocks in the same area, had been completed but the results concurred on the conclusion that on the whole productivity, on a per hectare basis, did not fall on the long-term.

In the peri-urban areas, a policy of productive land use which permitted diversification and innovation in both size and type of farming was more likely to achieve agricultural development than that which concentrated on preserving the land as it was, Mr Talbot said.

The planning approach which maintained the norm was in fact likely to cause neglect and under-use of

agricultural land because it restricted the variety of farming alternatives, he said.

“Attitudes towards planning must be changed so as to enable a well balanced farming scene in our rural communities,” Mr Talbot said.

Ministry of Agriculture advisbry services would not be able to offer an individual consultancy service to small holders, .he said.

This was not denying the production potential of small holdings but Was merely a statement of the physical impossibility of servicing a significant number. of those involved.

Support and help through courses, field days, and other means of conveying information, were, of course, available, Mr Talbot said.

Small farmers could become agriculture leaders in their own right. Mr Talbot said in New Zealand there were over 2000 holdings of less than 19 hectares and 5000 sheep owners with less than 100 sheep in their flock.