Latest Agriculture News| Farmer's Weekly

Opinion

Thaba Chweu Municipal property rates court case explained

Len Dekker, senior director at law firm Len Dekker Attorneys, breaks down the recent Supreme Court of Appeal judgment that may be of interest to farmers.

Farmer’s Weekly celebrates 113 years on the land

As Farmer's Weekly celebrates its 113th anniversary, we reflect on our enduring commitment to providing accurate and reliable agricultural news. Our dedication to serving the farming community with excellence and...

Is organic farming the solution to fight food insecurity?

Consumers and legislators in the EU are pushing for food production methods that neutralise carbon emissions. What impact will this have on food availability, costs, exports and imports? Lindi Botha...

World

Russian grain crop not at risk despite flooding – agri minister

Russia expects to record its second largest grain harvest on record in 2024, following the record 147 million metric tons harvested in 2023, easing fears that the heavy flooding in...

‘Milking process’ suspected of spreading bird flu to cattle

Newly released research has found that the milking process could be a factor in the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza to dairy cows in the US.

Chocolate prices expected to continue rising as cocoa crisis deepens

A perfect storm of widespread illegal gold mining, climate change, mismanagement of the industry, and rapidly spreading disease are contributing to a potentially disastrous cocoa bean harvest in West Africa...

Plough for more

News

SA far from reaching biofuels target

Government recently announced the mandatory blending of biofuels with fossil fuels, saying that at least 5% of biodiesel had to be added to all regular diesel.

Digitalisation to help improve wine quality and distribution

The adoption of digital technologies, such as the internet of things, artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning, remote sensing, geographic information systems and block chain, will become increasingly important to accelerate...

Government, industry FMD containment efforts dealt another blow

While over half a million cattle have already been vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) across South Africa, the fight against the disease has been dealt another blow with a recent...

Subsistence farmers invited to apply for support vouchers

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department) announced recently that more than 75 000 subsistence producers would be supported with farming input vouchers.

What to expect from the upcoming agricultural census

The Census of Commercial Agriculture that will run from 15 October 2018 to June 2019, will cover all South African farming operations, according to statistician-general Risenga Maluleke.

More animal neglect allegations against award-winning farmer

New allegations of animal neglect have emerged against a former national winner of a top agricultural award.

Business

Ngunis go commercial

After 25 years of trading and farming in Elliotdale in the former Transkei, Zolani Tyali eventually settled on Brooklyn, a commercial farm near Morgan’s Bay in the Eastern Cape. He...

Empowering smallholders to access the supply chain

Black smallholder farmers are often excluded from the supply chain due to high barriers of entry. A fund established by Tiger Brands is now trying to address this problem. Mary-Jane...

Why soya deserves a bigger place on people’s plates

In an ocean of pricey superfoods, soya stands out as being so cheap that its value is often downplayed. Used predominantly for animal feed, soya beans for human consumption faces...

Communal stock owners go commercial

Transport costs and traditions have made it difficult for communal farmers to play a major role in the commercial livestock industry. In KwaZulu-Natal, this situation is changing as auctioneers mobilise...

A ‘farmer’s market’ for carbon credits?

Farmers are well-equipped to capture and store tons of carbon in the soil, locking in greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. So why can't they turn a profit on it? Peter...

A long struggle bears fruit

Headman Manyota, a developing farmer, farms citrus in the Kat River Valley near Fort Beaufort. Last year, he achieved a massive 874% increase in production over 2013. Grant Hollins visited...

Lifestyle

Revving up vanilla ice cream

While there are some folk, this backwoods cook amongst them, who regard plain vanilla ice cream as an eternal miracle of fine dining, other more sophisticated diners have requested a...

A home with a planted atrium

Dear Jonno We were inspired by a layout we saw in the Farmer’s Weekly of 25 December last year, in which a cottage was converted into a contemporary home. We were...

Spreading it all out

Jonno designs a single storey house for FW reader Alan.

Crisp shortbread biscuits

With the possible exception of a chocolate brownie, nothing accompanies tea or coffee better than a crisp shortbread biscuit.

Follow the sun

Jonno helps design a cottage on a private complex near the Kruger Park.

Egg drop soup, Italian style

Cantonese egg drop soup has long been a favourite. And then along came Italian egg drop soup with delicious Mediterranean accents heightened by lemon zest and nutmeg.

Animals

Beefmaster: ‘Perfectly bred for the beef producer’

The Beefmaster, which was developed in the US, is a popular beef breed in South Africa due to its adaptability, short intercalving period, and other key traits. Gerrie Jansen van Rensburg,...

Single-step genomics: a game changer for livestock breeding

The Single Step method makes it possible to include genomic information in BLUP breeding values. This has put SA Stud Book at the forefront of genomic methodology, says Dr Japie...

Horses in western dressage

Growing in popularity since 2007, western dressage has now been recognised in South Africa, says Dr Mac.

Veld test: Santa Gertrudis proves its worth

The North West Veld Santa Breeders’ Study Group has demonstrated the breed’s efficiency and ability under extensive conditions, confirming its value as a beef breed.

Good nutrition, healthier horses

The modern horse lives a life far removed from that of its ancestors, and domestication imposes unnatural living conditions which can lead to disease. Kim Dyson tells us how to...

Measuring and improving the performance of cattle in feedlots

An Agricultural Research Council study of the performance of Brahman bulls in feedlots across South Africa has highlighted the non-genetic traits, such as environment and herd of origin, that affect...

Crops

Butternuts: know your market and maintain quality

Butternuts are a reasonably easy crop to grow, with few in soluble problems. The real challenge is to match the cultivar with the market. Mpumalanga-based producer Francois Steyn spoke to...

Proactive fruit farming techniques

Oak Valley Estate in the Elgin Valley grows apples and pears, among many other product lines, on a commercial scale. Key to the farm’s production for the export market is...

Wine tourism – an answer to the wine industry’s woes?

The wine surplus across the globe is putting the livelihoods of wine farmers under pressure. While there are no easy answers, key role-players in the South African wine industry feel...

Fertilising cucurbits: how much to apply and when to do it

Fertiliser is expensive, so it’s important to start with a soil analysis, and to get the balance right, says Bill Kerr.

Maize success in the Overberg

As maize is a summer crop that requires sufficient water and nutrients, most farmers won’t plant it in a winter rainfall area. But John Walker, a Western Cape farmer with...

Learn from history

Fresh produce markets have an interesting history. Go back more than 150 years and you’ll find a person called the market master who worked for the local municipality and also...