A quarter of Southland farmers who changed their land use in the past 18 months used Topoclimate information when making their decisions, an independent report reveals. However, overall there was a "significant minority" of farmers using the information to assist in their land use decisions.

The findings are contained in a Polson Higgs and Co survey, commissioned by the Ministry for the Environment, on the impact to date of the soil and climate mapping project. Telephone interviews were conducted with 800 Southland land users. The maximum sampling error was plus or minus 3.6% at 95% confidence level.

The research showed the main aims and benefits of the project were perceived both accurately and positively by the majority of farmers. There was also widespread awareness of the types of information that Crops for Southland can provide. Seventy-nine % of all respondents indicated they had not made any significant changes to the way they farmed their property in the past 18 months.

Of the 21% that had, 27.2 percent said the information provided by Topoclimate had influenced or aided their decision. Twenty three percent were considering making changes in the future and, of those, 31.6% said the Topoclimate information had influenced their thinking in making changes on their farm.

The main benefit most of respondents associated with Topoclimate was the ability to diversify land use with minimised risks. However, more than half (55.5%) said the never referred to their Topoclimate map when making decisions about their farmland but 44.1% said they likely would in the future.

Despite that, when asked who their first contact would be if they required any particular information about the physical aspects of their property, the majority (80.1%) indicated they would go to their fertiliser company and the next largest group (16.3%) said they would rely on their own knowledge.

One of the main barriers to changing land uses of farming practices was a satisfaction with the status quo. The report suggests this was probably  because the survey was done at a time when farmers were getting high returns on traditional farming products and therefore may have had reduced incentive to consider diversification.

The report concludes that the objectives and potential benefits of the project are generally well understood, that there is a high level of user satisfaction and the maps are easy to read and understand. Most respondents thought they provide accurate information.

Southland Times, Invercargill, New Zealand 23rd October 2002