Annelie Coleman
Annelie Coleman represents Farmer’s Weekly in the Free State, North West and Northern Cape.
Agriculture is in her blood. She grew up on a maize farm in the Wesselsbron district where her brother is still continuing with the family business.
Annelie is passionate about the area she works in and calls it ‘God’s own country’. She’s particularly interested in beef cattle farming, especially with the indigenous African breeds.
Farming sector warns of job losses due to minimum wage hike
Minister of Employment and Labour Thembelani Nxesi recently announced that the minimum wage for farmworkers has increased by 16% to bring it in line with the national minimum wage.
Deadline extended for comment on new Expropriation Bill
The Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure has announced that the deadline for written submissions by interested parties on the Expropriation Bill [B23 – 2020] has been extended from 10 to 28 February.
Expropriation bill ‘will limit property rights’ in SA
Free State Agriculture (FSA) remains vehemently opposed to certain clauses in the Expropriation Bill and seriously questions government’s sincerity with regard to the issue of land expropriation and ownership, according to Francois Wilken, FSA president.
Didiza explains delay in annual reports for agri entities
The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, said she had noted with concern claims by the EFF regarding the submission of annual reports from the former Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) and its entities.
Farmers say ‘not worth their while’ to report stock theft
Stock theft remains one of the greatest threats to the long-term sustainability of livestock production in North West.The scourge was being compounded by poor reporting of incidences of stock theft, poor policing, and a failing judicial system in the province.
Free State Agriculture condemns attack on farm manager
Free State Agriculture (FSA) has strongly condemned the latest farm attack in the province in which a farm foreman, Simon Mokhala (77), was attacked and nearly drowned in a septic tank.
Meat board takes charge to control FMD outbreak in Namibia
The recent foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Namibia at the end of 2020 was largely contained and did not pose a threat to areas south of the veterinary cordon fence in the north of the country, according to Thinus Pretorius, chairperson of Nambia’s Livestock Producers’ Organisation (LPO).
Heavy rain devastates grain lands in the western Free State
It is too early to determine the extent of the damage caused to grain plantings following extremely high rainfall in parts of the western Free State during the past two weeks, but it can be assumed that the damage is extensive.
International award for Free State stock theft researcher
The executive board of the International Society for the Study of Rural Crime (ISSRC) recently bestowed the prestigious Joseph F. Donnermeyer New Scholar Award on Dr Willem Lombard, an agricultural economist at the University of the Free State.
Good rains raise risk of insect-borne livestock diseases
South African livestock producers need to vaccinate animals against insect-borne diseases such as lumpy skin disease, three-day stiff sickness, Rift Valley fever, and bluetongue disease as soon as possible.
Subsistence farmers invited to apply for support vouchers
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department) announced recently that more than 75 000 subsistence producers would be supported with farming input vouchers.
Free roaming elephants a rising problem for Namibian farmers
Conflict between humans and Namibia’s growing elephant population can be described as a “problem of success”, says Colin Nott, a Namibian regenerative agricultural consultant.
Imported inputs continue to hamper local grain production
The South African grain production industry is highly dependent on imported agricultural inputs, which means local grain prices are subjected to the same supply and demand forces that drive international markets.
Hundreds protest against farm murders in the Free State
Isak Moletsane, a hunter from Kroonstad, was one of the hundreds of people who attended Free State Agriculture’s (FSA) recent protest action against the murder of father and son Pieter and Eddie Hills in the Henneman district.
Wet conditions delay planting in eastern summer grain region
Grain planting in the summer grain production region of South Africa is well underway, with planting in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal nearing completion, according to Grain SA’s latest production survey.
Grave concern for condition of Namibia’s FMD-protection fence
A widespread outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Namibia could potentially wipe out the entire livestock production industry in that country.
Humanitarian aid floods in for fire ravaged Free State
Communities in the areas of the Free State devastated by the recent wildfires in the region have expressed their gratitude for the overwhelming humanitarian aid flowing in from all corners of South Africa.
Sponsor a heifer for Free State wildfire victims
South Africa’s commercial and stud beef cattle breeders have so far donated more than 300 heifers to the Afrikaner Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa’s Sponsor a Heifer initiative in aid of the victims of the devastating wildfires in the western Free State.
Namibian livestock industry devastated by prolonged drought
Beef cattle sales in Namibia have fallen 31% so far this year compared with the same period in 2019, despite producer price increases of 2% for slaughter cattle and 39% for weaners.
Thousands of hectares destroyed by Free State wildfires
Raging wildfires that have destroyed nearly 100 000ha in the western Free State since Sunday, 18 October, are being fanned by strong winds. The fires reportedly started on Sunday when service delivery protesters burned tyres on the R708 road between Hertzogville and Christiana.
