South Africa

Malmesbury state vet Dr Sewellyn Davey has called upon farmers to report all sheep scab outbreaks as a matter of urgency.

More change will have to happen in agriculture over the next 15 years than the changes that occurred in the sector during the past 50 years.

Free State municipalities are more than R1 billion in arrears in electricity charges.

The Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) released its sixth production forecast for summer crops, with commercial maize set at 14,017 million tons.

Fed up with having to watch helplessly as runaway fires destroyed their crops, grazing and property every year, a KwaZulu-Natal rural community has now teamed up with a local forestry company to stop fires as soon as they start.

Wildlife Ranching SA (WRSA) past president and Vaalwater game farmer, Gert Dry, strongly advocated changes in the SA’s current National Environmental Management: Biodiversity (NEMBA) legislation at the 2014 Grassland Society of Southern Africa congress in Bloemfontein.

A consignment consisting of 2 400 5kg pre-packed bags of maize was recently delivered to distribution points for people affected by the miners’ strike in Rustenberg, North West.

South Africa’s consumer inflation held steady at 6,6% year-on-year in June, the same as in May, as inflation remained above the Reserve Bank’s target of 3% to 6%.

The Agricultural Business Chamber (AgBiz) has withdrawn from Agri-Sector Unity Forum (ASUF) but will continue to co-operate with it.

The SA rooibos and honeybush tea industry has welcomed news that its products are to be given geographic indication (GI) status on world markets.

The window period to prepare fire breaks expires on 31 July 2014, and farmers have been warned that the risk of strong winds makes it hazardous to continue making firebreaks in August.

SA will in November this year join 40 other countries that have signed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme compact.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Senzeni Zokwana promised much support to smallholder farmers in his budget vote address.

In celebration of Mandela Day on 18 July, deputy agriculture minister Bheki Cele, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for agriculture and rural development Cyril Xaba and other government officials will pledge 67 minutes of their time ploughing vegetable gardens at Mazwendoda Senior Secondary School in Pietermaritzburg on the day.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Senzeni Zokwana will present the department’s annual strategic plans to parliament on Wednesday, 16 July.

The recent farm attack which led to the murder of 66-year-old farmer Jan de Kock from Petrus Steyn is the fifth of its kind reported to Free State Agriculture during the past three months.

Kruger National Park remains the hardest hit by rhino poachers. No fewer than 351 animals have been killed in the park since the beginning of the year.

Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP), the parastatal charged with producing and developing animal vaccines, says its main market is shrinking and it’s struggling to keep up with competitors, despite a R500 million state grant for upgrades to its facilities.

Following media reports of neglect and pig cannibalism at Thandi Modise’s farm recently, she has agreed to co-operate with the NSPCA.

KwaZulu-Natal police recently arrested 41 suspected stock thieves during a two week operation.