PIGS FOR PROFIT

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 68, Issue 5943, 15 May 1944, Page 4

PIGS FOR PROFIT

NEW CROPPING PROPOSALS A well known personality in farming circles who has just completed a survey tour of the North Island, said in an interview to-day that he had found a lively interest being displayed by farmers in the Government’s new cropping proposals. The announcement of £5 an acre cropping subsidy, he said, had given a decided impetus everywhere. Farmers hoped that the basis of subsidy would be generously interpreted so that the maximum encouragement would be given to producers to play their part in the drive for more pig meats. Under the provision for more labour through the primary production councils many progressive farmers would be able to take the opportunity of moving their pig layouts to fresh pastures, using the old area for cropping purposes.

At pedigree establishments he had found that preparations were being made to meet the anticipated increased demand for foundation stock. He had seen some very attractive lines of mated crossbred sows. The fundamental basis of any drive for increased pig production was an increase in the sow population, and it was not too late for farmers to select suitable sows that would provide litters in the spring, The speaker drew a vivid contrast between the wealth of feed that was showing in some areas of the Dominion and the drought-like conditions that were being experienced in Australia which he had visited six weeks ago. Generally speaking, he had found the farmers in Now Zealand in good heart and prepared to play their part to an even greater extent in (he cause of increased production.