DUTY OF THE FARMER

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1937, Page 19 (Supplement)

DUTY OF THE FARMER

SOME IMPORTANT POINTS.

Perhaps the most important feature of a strong agricultural policy is that it will enable the farmer faithfully to discharge his duties tp the community. He has duties which he fully recognises, says a writer in the Farmers' Weekly. I would put them in this order:— 1. To his land. This he holds in trust for the nation. His duty is to maintain it in good health so that it may continue to be at the service of the community for all time. 2. To liis workers. The farmers' duty is to strive to put himself into' a position where he will be able to pay to his men a wage at least equivalent to that enjoyed by other skilled workers and to guarantee to them permanent employment with good homes and good conditions of service. . . 3. To his own family. On this I need not' enlarge, as everyone knows what is meant. ; 4. To the consumer of his produce. Here his duty is not as some seem to believe to provide the consumer with goods at prices below the cost of production but to provide the maximum amount of food at the lowest possible prices consistent with maintaining the standards of -British farming and of our rural population. The farmer recognises that it is his duty to ensure efficiency in production and to devote his efforts to improving the quality of his goods wherever possible— but he can do neither of these if he is denied a profit.