Ideologies that harm an economy
Political ideology and a need to stay in favour with voters is placing a burden on the economy and leading to job losses. Dawie Roodt from the Efficiency Group explains how minimum wages and labour laws are hurting the country. Lindi van Rooyen reports.
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Gene marker helps solve horn dilemma in Merino sheep
Australian research has shown the possibility of eliminating the horn gene in Merino sheep.
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Farm prices
Theunissen’s mixed farms
Farming in the Theunissen district north-east of Bloemfontein in the Free State, mostly involves mixed production, with maize, potatoes and wheat the main crops. Afrikaners, Jerseys and...
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Editor's letter
Instant farmers? It’s simply not possible
Every time I visit my home town, Hartbeesfontein, I realise how lucky I was to grow up in the platteland with its clean air, open spaces, smells of grass and earth, and...
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Farming hydroponically - part 1
Over the next few weeks we’ll be taking you through this interesting and potentially profitable form of farming.
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Willing seller – the only way
The ANC’s policy decision to do away with the willing-buyer, willing-seller principle has caused dismay in the agricultural sector. But Dr Theo de Jager, deputy president of Agri SA, argues that this attempt by the government to save the faltering land reform process is doomed to fail.
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Table grape farmer's success
This year, top honours in the Hex Valley Table Grape Association Block Competition went to Hannes du Toit, who successfully manipulated the tricky and relatively new Sugrasixteen grape variety to produce a good quality, high yield crop with big berries. Denene Erasmus reports.
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‘SA farmers are not getting their money’s worth’
South Africans pay more than four months’ salary a year to fund government. While those living in cities receive their money’s worth – more or less – farmers get the short end of the stick.
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A lifetime passion for Merinos
This year, Hilson Shuman produced his 60th wool clip. He is as passionate about his Merinos as he was in 1952 when the death of his father, Ken, put him in charge of the farm Grey Craig near Queenstown in the Eastern Cape. Mike Burgess reports.
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Let them eat Fruit
The single-minded focus on increasing yield needs to make way for a multi-disciplinary approach which makes healthy food available to all, says Dr Stephanie Midgley, OneWorld Sustainable Investments lead researcher, and Prof Martin de Wit, De Wit Sustainable Options director.
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