News

The criminal case between Piet Wolmarans, a Simmentaler stud breeder from Swartruggens in North West, and three of his neighbours over an outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever (snotsiekte) has been postponed in the regional magistrate’s court to 28 February.

The US sugar industry has been accused of withholding evidence of the adverse effects of sucrose for almost 50 years.

Despite facing major challenges for its financial year ended 30 September 2017, South African integrated poultry company, Astral, was able to increase revenue 3% to R12,4 billion and increase operating profit 97% to R1,1 billion.

The Institute of Risk Management South Africa recently named agribusiness Senwes as the best in its ‘Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing’ category at a gala dinner at Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg.

Francis Patthey, chairperson of Samil Natural Fibres (Pty) Ltd asked his family, which has interests in the Alpaca industry in Peru and Switzerland and agribusinesses in Peru and Chili, as well as his business partners abroad, to donate funds to purchase animal feed for drought-stricken Angora farmers in need.

Nine winemakers have been shortlisted for this year’s Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year.

Stock up on diesel ahead of planting. This was the key message from Agbiz economist, Wandile Sihlobo, as forecasters estimated that diesel could increase by more than 60c per litre in December.

Under the Mugabe regime, Zimbabwe’s agriculture industry has been deteriorating for many years. This was partly due to chaotic land reform, a lack of private property rights, and poorly targeted and partisan-based subsidy programmes.

Namibia’s minimum wage for farmworkers was recently increased from N$690 (R690) to N$900 (R900) per month, while the food allowance was increased from N$400 to N$500 per month. The wage was last increased in June 2014.

A multi-million-rand capital investment project, coupled with drought stress, led to a profit loss for GWK in the 2016/2017 financial year.

Genetically modified (GM) non-browning apples are now available to consumers in North America. The first harvest of the Arctic variety was recently brought in by Canadian company, Okanagan Speciality Fruits (OSF).

Outbreaks of a previously unknown wheat leaf disease have been reported in South Africa, which could have a serious impact on food security and sustainable wheat production in the country.

South Africa’s 2017/2018 table grape crop was expected to be between 6% and 13% lower than the 2016/2017 exported crop.

At the beginning of the year, Monsanto launched DK777, a pest-resistant white maize cultivar, in Kenya.

The global dairy industry must address the risk of dairy being labelled a “problem protein” environmentally. This is according to Jaap Evers, International Dairy Federation (IDF) global standards leader.

More than 100 developing crop farmers from central KwaZulu-Natal, most of whom farm on traditional authority lands, recently attended an information day on no-till conservation agriculture practices.

As of 1 May 2018, the national minimum wage (NMW) for farmworkers will be R18/hour, according to the National Minimum Wage Bill approved on 1 November.

A convoy of trucks is currently delivering half-a-million rands' worth of feed to farmers in the drought-stricken Western Cape, a gesture which will help to keep livestock alive and bring hope to farming communities.

The newly formed Wagyu Breeders’ Society of South Africa has appointed Dr Michael Bradfield as its first CEO.

Levels of E. coli in catchment areas in Gauteng have been increasing and could affect agricultural crop production, according to Lebogang Maile, Gauteng MEC for Economic Development.