Plant health information sources used by cropping farmers in Canterbury, New Zealand

Abstract

A survey of 366 cropping farmers in Canterbury was carried out to determine their perception of plant health problems and the sources of information they used to deal with these.

Over 50% of farmers considered diseases to be it severe constraint on yield. The figures for weed and insect problems were 13.4% and 6.3% respectively. In the 1985-86 season, respondents spent an average of $9296 on chemical control of disease, weed and insect problems. Farmers tended to rely on their own judgement for selecting chemicals using advice from sources such as stock and station agents and chemical company representatives. MAF personnel were consulted by only a small minority of respondents when seeking advice on chemical usage.

Stock and station agents were considered to be the most useful source of advice for dealing with plant health problems, followed by newspapers and journals, other farmers and books. Over 90% of respondents read the Plant Health Monitor and most of them found it to be useful for an overview of current problems and as a memory jogger.

Most farmers used MAF services rarely or never it all and the majority said that they would use the MAF diagnostic services only as a last resort with the introduction of charging.

The study shows that there is a need for more technical information on plant protection and the most effective way of conveying this to farmers would be through industry personnel and by the provision of up to-date written material.