YOUNG FARMERS’ CLUBS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 230, 26 June 1935, Page 10

YOUNG FARMERS’ CLUBS

Value of Movement to the Dominion Stressed The potential value to New Zealand of the young farmers’ clubs, particularly in assimilating the results of agricultural research, was outlined last night to the Royal Agricultural Society by Mr. A. C. Cameron, president of the clubs’ federation.

“Throughout New Zealand we see some queer comparisons.” Mr. Cameron said. “It is possible to find farmers who know nothing of modern developments. farming, exactly as their fathers did before them : scorning and distrusting what they term 'new-fangled’ methods. In the same district there may be farmers who are abreast of the latest in scientific research and who are turning recently-acquired knowledge to good account,

"Tlie irony of tlie position is that the New Zealand Government Dairy aud Meat Boards, breed societies and private co-operative enterprise have spent tens .of thousands of pounds in research work. The great agricultural research stations in Great Britain and elsewhere have done the same. The results of this research are available to us. and yet we have still to find tlie best medium of getting it assimilated by the men who should, above all others, possess the knowledge—the rank and file farmer.

“I firmly believe that through the young farmers’ clubs this problem stands a better chance of being solved than by any other means. Although there are many notable exceptions. It is a fact that the average elder farmer finds it increasingly difficult to adapt himself to new ideas. 1 feel, therefore, that we must concentrate ii[>on tlie younger men, and this is where the young farmers’ clubs come in. Young fellows meeting fortnightly or monthly at th,eir local-young farmers' club for the definite purpose of discussing agricultural problems of their own districts must get a great deal of value out of such meetings.” Fifty-two clubs had been formed in the South Island and six clubs in the North Island, where considerable progress was expected during the next 12 months. Mr. Cameron said.