South Africa

Last week’s temporary suspension of services at some post offices in SA owing to a fuel shortage negatively affected the agriculture sector, according to Neels de Villiers, Free State Red Meat Producers Organisation (RPO) chairperson.

Millions of rand worth of damage was caused when a burglary at the BKB shop and goods receiving store at Paterson near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape went wrong and a fire broke out.

A wine grape producer from Robertson has been found not guilty on assault charges.

It is unlikely that South Africa will dissolve into a full blown economic crisis, but government has to urgently address a number of challenges if the country is to escape its current low growth cycle.

“Substantial progress” was being made in resolving the energy crisis that led to load-shedding costing the economy R1 billion/month, said President Jacob Zuma.

People around the world are celebrating World Elephant Day today. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness about elephants, the threats to their survival, as well as the initiatives underway to save these animals from extinction.

South Africa’s poultry industry believes the US is using the renewal of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) as an opportunity to flex its muscles over SA’s current ban on chicken imports from the US.

Smallholder farmers in Gauteng, Limpopo, North West and Western Cape are set to become the first beneficiaries of a partnership between the agriculture department and JSE-listed Tiger Brands.

By the end of August, South African producers will again be able to export fresh ostrich meat to the EU.

Disruptions in vaccine production at Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) seem to be coming to an end with the summer vaccines for blue tongue (BT), African horse sickness (AHS), lumpy skin, B. Phemeral and Rift Valley fever (RVF) now available on the market.

Pork puzzles, questionnaires and theory notes are just some of the strategies used by the Premier Pork Producers Association to spread information about pork products among school-going children.

Grain SA chairperson Louw Steytler announced at the Free State Agriculture congress that Grain SA had donated R150 000 towards the Free State Agriculture court case against the South African government regarding the disintegration of the border infrastructure between the Free State and Lesotho.

Commercial agriculture is in favour of orderly land reform and will diligently help to establish new black farmers, according to Free State Agriculture president Dan Kriek.

Concerted efforts by KwaZulu-Natal police units from mid- to end-July resulted in a significant number of recoveries of stolen livestock as well as in the arrests of a number of suspected stock thieves.

More than 80% of the 2014/2015 white maize harvest had been delivered so far this year.

The Blood Lions documentary crew recently hosted a media screening in Johannesburg. This film is part of a global campaign to bring an end to predator breeding and canned hunting industries.

Free State Agriculture (FSA) condemns the latest farm attack in the province in the strongest terms, according to Tommie Esterhuyse, FSA’s Law and Order Committee chairperson.

US dentist Walter Palmer has come under harsh criticism from international animal rights activists following his involvement in the killing of one of Zimbabwe’s most well-known lion, 13-year old Cecil.

The environmental impact of acid mine drainage (AMD) is not a threat to the trans-boundary Ramotswa Aquifer situated in the Limpopo Basin.

South Africa’s red meat sector is performing well in a tough local economic environment.