FOR EFFICIENCY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17238, 19 April 1930, Page 11

FOR EFFICIENCY

FARM COMPETITIONS PROPOSAL IN MANAWATU A proposal to conduct a farmers' competition in the Mauawatu district, on a scale never before attempted m the Dominion received the, unanimous approval of a conference of representatives of various farmers' bodies which met at I'almerston North and set up. a committee to draw up a workable scheme. The proposal comes from the Department of Agriculture, which sees in such a competition a method of promoting sounder and'better farming.

It.is suggested that an organisation such as'the ."Manawatu Farm Fcon.omic Improvement Association" be formed to promote and conduct competitions which will foster better farming, but directing attention to methods which have been attended with success.

Mr. li. P. Connell, of the Department, .of ..Agriculture, outlined the scheme, winch, he said, should be .limited to farms, 30 acres or more in extent, from which at least 50 per cent, of income was derived from dairy products. This included pigs and. poultry.. Regarding the methods of judging, the speaker stated that a first glance it seemed a good idea to judge on the net return for each £IOO invested, •but the'difficulty was that this method might favor a. farmer who practised false economy. For instance, during the period of the competition a farmer might neglect, his fencing, drainage, etc., which was not desirable. It would not ■be»souwl to award the prize to the farm showing the highest production per acre. Three hundred pounds of fat might not be as desirable as 2301 b. of fat to the acre because of the excessive cost of getting the extra 501 b. of fat. A small profit, and a big output, was often better than a large profit and a limited output. He considered the four aspects to be considered in judging were: (a) The cost of production, for which lie would allot 40 .per cent, of tho total points allotted; (b) the total farm production per acre, to which he would allot 25 per cent, of the total points; (c) farm maintenance and development, and stock, to which he would allot 25 per cent.; (d) farm goods, equipment and implements, to which he would allot 10 per cent, of the total points. Mr. Connell said judging would be done by a .committee of practical farmers, with perhaps a business man. Finance for prize-money could bo probably obtained from dairy companies, and other organisations. During the discussion which followed Mr. Connell's address, Mr. Boyco said that he failed to see how the competition could bo conducted properly in the one year. A farmer might make a special effort during this period to get the prize-money. Mr, Council agreed that he was not satisfied himself that one year was the best period in which to conduct the competition. ■ The following motion was carried unanimously: "That the principle of the scheme be accepted, pending a special committee set up being able to formulate a workable scheme, and that tho scheme be submitted to tho various associations." —Dominion.