Western Cape wheat farmers welcome winter rain
Heavy rain that fell over most of the Western Cape this past weekend came just in time, said wheat farmers who have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of winter rain.
Water supplier investigated
A company contracted to supply water services to the Lepelle Northern Water Board (LNW) in Limpopo has been accused of reselling water at a mark-up of almost 100%.
Floundering rand could sink SA
The plummeting value of the rand is good news for farmers in the export industry, but will impoverish the rest of the country.
African livelihoods at risk, says AU summit report
Hunger and malnutrition rates remain high in Africa, with extreme weather conditions destroying livelihoods and exacerbating Africa’s food insecurity.
High Standard Veterinary Practice
The SAVC took note of the media reports relating to the alleged inhumane dehorning of rhino in the Free State province by
veterinarians which were drawn to its attention by seriously concerned members of the veterinary profession.
Slight decrease in fuel prices
The wholesale price of diesel will decrease by nearly 4c/l on Wednesday next week, the department of energy announced today. The retail price of petrol will be 8c/l cheaper.
KZN police pounce on rhino poachers
Following an unprecedented onslaught by poachers against KwaZulu-Natal’s besieged rhino population during May, KZN police have been able to make a number of arrests in an effort to dam this scourge.
Party politics trump agriculture at DAFF budget vote
A number of challenges facing the agriculture sector were highlighted during the recent Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ budget vote debate in parliament.
Land reform a complete failure – Vink
“Land reform has been a failure in every single respect and this failure will haunt South Africa for the next 20 years,” said Prof Nick Vink of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University, at the recent Red Meat Abattoir Association conference in Stellenbosch.
First private agri-college in South Africa
A private agricultural college, the first of its kind in South Africa, has been announced for Bothaville in the Free State.
SA Stud book receives international accreditation
SA Stud Book was awarded the ICAR (International Committee for Animal Recording) Certificate of Quality at the ICAR annual general meeting held on Wednesday, 29 May 2013 in Denmark.
Municipality money vanishes
How can a municipality lose R3 million of utility poles, plus the paperwork? It’s easy, if you know how.
SA minister lauds Zimbabwe land reform
Minister of Public Works Thembelani Nxesi praised Zimbabwe’s land reform process at a recent function attended by farm workers and labour unions in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.
Monsanto wins patent court case against US farmer
Multinational seed company Monsanto has won a landmark court case against a US farmer, after he failed to pay royalties for the patented genetically modified (GM) seed he planted.
Theft rampant in timber industry
Theft of equipment and timber in the industry is rampant – and escalating. The theft of chainsaws in Mpumalanga alone amounted to more than R10 million in the past two years.
A dry start to Western Cape wheat season
Many parts of the Swartland region have yet to receive significant winter rain, so an average wheat harvest is expected, according to Koos Blanckenberg, a grain farmer from Philadelphia and Grain SA’s representative for the Swartland areas in the Western Cape.
Biggest wine grape crop ever
Final intake figures show the 2013 harvest season will see the biggest wine grape crop ever produced in SA, while wine exports have also rebounded to reach an all-time high.
On-farm silos mean greater profits
The age of on-farm silos has dawned and manufacturers are having a hard time keeping up with demand.
Does Pieter Mulder harm SA farmers’ public image?
The impact of having a deputy minister of agriculture representing a “rightwing political party” could have a detrimental effect on perceptions about commercial farmers.
Bees in the EU given two-year breather
The European Commission’s decision to impose a two-year restriction on the use of pesticides linked to declining bee populations has been praised by South African beekeepers.
