News

Government is planning a major overhaul of property ownership rights in South Africa that will be outlined in a new Green Paper on land reform to be tabled in April, Rural Development and Land Reform minister Gugile Nkwinti told parliament in his budget vote speech.

National Treasury denied a request by the local automotive industry to exempt double-cabs and small bakkies from a new carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions tax that is to be implemented on 1 September.

Farmers are becoming aware of how little say they may have about mining activities taking place in close proximity to them or even on their own land, and the extent to which the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) may affect them.

Local members and foreign delegates deemed Zimbabwe’s Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) Congress in August a success.

Mining appears to be the latest driving force behind invitations to South African farmers to establish large commercial agriculture operations elsewhere in Africa.

Two of South Africa’s milling giants,Pioneer Foods and Premier Foods, as well as Pride Milling and Godrich Flour Mills, have quit their membership of the National Chamber of Milling and are no longer required to submit sales information to the chamber.

Threats of nationalising productive land have lead to concerns in the agricultural industry. But at present, Section 25 of the constitution guarantees the property rights of all.

According to Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB Inbev), the world largest brewer, its takeover of SABMiller will create a truly global brewery business in which Africa will play a vital role.

The Johannesburg city council will Auctionoff the large Bovelder cattle herd that it has kept on Northern Farm, Diepsloot, Gauteng, for 40 years.

High price volatility is ongoing in agricultural markets, but recent price fluctuations don’t necessarily show it has increased, said Dr Holger Matthey of the trade and markets division of the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation at the Western Cape launch of the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) Baseline 2010 report.

Another big firm has set its sights on the coal fields in the Lephalale/Steenbokpan area, with Digby Wells & Associates initiating a public participation process to talk to interested and concerned parties affected by the Boikarabelo Project and the Boikarabelo Extension Project.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan praised Land Bank CEO Phakamani Hadebe and chairperson Dr Ben Ngubane for “turning around an important institution and setting it on a new and exciting strategic path”, even though the Land Bank’s operating profit fell 13% to R192 million.

Colder winter weather has slowed down Rift Valley fever (RVF), but outbreaks could start again in early summer, warned veterinarian Jannie van der Merwe at the Western Cape Milk Producers’ Organisation’s annual meeting in Malmesbury.

Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders apparently decided not to renew the terms of judges presiding over the SADC Tribunal, at the recent SADC summit in Windhoek, according to the Democratic Alliance (DA).

In the tense aftermath of Eugene Terreblanche's Terre’Blanche’s murder, lessons can be learned from the ANC leadership’s handling of Chris Hani’s assassination on the same day of the year, 17 years ago, said the Institute for Security Services’ Dr Johan Burger.

An article alleging that a Thai man has died after consuming a “purposely contaminated Rhino horn thought to be from a private game farm somewhere in southern Africa” has set the conservation community abuzz.

The Land Bank Insurance Company (LBIC), a division of agricultural financial services provider Land Bank, has created a programme to train black crop insurance brokers.

With the much-anticipated local government elections taking place tomorrow, national farmers’ union Agri SA is asking agricultural employers to help their employees get to the voting stations.

More than 1 million hectares are still available for grain production in the Free State, which could be used to manufacture renewable energy such as biodiesel or bioethanol.

The maize industry is at a crossroads and farmers need to act collectively to stave off financial ruin, said Jozeph Du Plessis, chairperson of the Schweizer-Reneke District Agricultural Union at a recent Solidarity seminar.