Farmers’ opinions

Press, 4 December 1981, Page 17

Farmers’ opinions

At the opening of the seminar on conservation tillage in Christchurch last week Mr L. A. Scherp, manager of Monsanto New Zealand, Ltd, quoted the remarks of a number of mixed cropping and stock farmers in Mid-Canterbury on the benefits that could be derived from the reduced cultivation system. (1) “How else can you seed 100 acres in 130 tractor hours . . .” Benefit: time saved. (2) “. . . . used to have twq tractors doing 1000 hours a year each. Now I’m using

one tractor for 350 hours a year.” Benefit: capital, time and fuel saved. (3) “. . . . 65 minutes an acre to grub, harrow, re-dyke and drill compared with 23 minutes to spray and drill by conservation tillage.” Benefit: time and money saved. (4) “. . . . I used to employ a permanent man. He is no longer necessary and I still get more farming done.” Benefit: labour saved. (5) “. . . . diesel usage was 26,000 litres per year. Now it is 4000.” Benefit: an 85 per cent fuel saving or 22,000 litres a year.

(6) “. . . . I can go to rugby on Saturdays . . . .” Benefit: more leisure time and “why not” added Mr Scherp. Benefit: money and time saved. (7) “. . . . I don’t have to reform the border dykes, which at $6O an hour for a grader saves me $5OO a paddock . . .” Benefit: money and time saved. These were a few of many spontaneous comments which had come from a range of isers of the conservation tillage system, ■ said Mr scherp.