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.
Farmer to pay back R750 000 in electricity tampering case
Agri SA has strongly condemned unlawful tampering and interference with all Eskom infrastructure on farms, according to Nicol Jansen, chairperson of the organisation’s centre of excellence for economics and trade.
New protest action planned to draw attention to rural crime
Members of the Northern Cape agriculture sector and the wider community took part in a second protest this week in Hartswater, coordinated by Agri Northern Cape following the murder of three people on a farm in the district in July 2020.
Mycotoxins in water may have caused Botswana elephant deaths
No definitive answers have yet been found for the mass die-off of elephants in Botswana since May this year. Early research results have suggested, however, that the deaths could be attributed to a naturally occurring toxin.
A passion for herbs blooms into business success
The Kasselhoft estate near Leeudoringstad in North West evokes the French countryside with its fragrant lavender and rosemary fields. This is where Trudi and Rina Kasselman run their herbal business and market their cosmetic care and assorted product range.
Namibian farmers harvest country’s first blueberry crop
The first-ever commercial harvest of blueberries in Namibia recently commenced on the banks of the Okavango River between Mashare and Mupapama villages in Kavango East, northern Namibia.
Gender equality in farming expands despite barriers to entry
Gender equality and women's dignity are valued and encouraged in the South African agricultural industry.
GWK and VKB considering ‘possible partnership’
Negotiations recently commenced between the agribusinesses GWK and VKB about a possible partnership and synergies following approval from the companies’ respective boards.
Producing well-balanced animals for maximum profit
Well-balanced stud animals are crucial to the profitability of a commercial beef cattle enterprise, say Jean van der Merwe and Willie Landman, owners of the Black Hills Drakensberger stud near Potchefstroom. They told Annelie Coleman that they breed animals like this by focusing on a number of traits and using a variety of selection techniques.
ARC retracts application to retrench 1 000 workers
The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) had withdrawn the 189A process that would have resulted in the loss of 1 000 jobs at the institution.
Concern about ‘mysterious’ elephant deaths in Botswana
The cause of death of hundreds of elephants in the northern part of Botswana’s Okavango Delta remains a mystery, with more than 400 carcasses having been discovered since May this year.
SA groundnut production estimate for 2020 down 16%
The production estimates for groundnuts in South Africa for the 2020 season has been revised downward by more than 16% due to the drought experienced during the past year in certain parts of the summer grain production regions, according to Luan van der Walt, Grain SA economist.
Fresh produce theft: farmers lose billions every year
The theft of agricultural produce costs South African farmers billions of rand a year, not only through the loss of produce, but in additional expenses, such as fencing, to improve security. Annelie Coleman spoke to industry leaders Dr Jane Buys, Derek Donkin and Tommie Esterhuyse, as well as a Limpopo-based citrus producer who preferred to remain anonymous.
Agricultural Research Council plans to cut 1 000 jobs
The Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) liabilities exceeded its assets by R138 million during the past financial year.
Nampo Harvest Day to ‘go virtual’ in 2020
Grain SA has taken a very courageous decision to not continue with the Nampo Harvest Day event in 2020, according to Dr Kobus Laubscher, an independent agricultural economist in Bloemfontein.
Bull growth testing suffers impact of COVID-19, FMD outbreak
The number of bulls subjected to growth tests at the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) bull growth test centres have slowly started increasing again following a sharp decrease earlier this year due to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, as well as the restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
SA’s new maize export season off to a good start
South Africa’s maize exports proceeded swiftly during April and May despite disruptions to trade caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, according to Johan Straus, agricultural economist at the University of the Free State.
Relief funds dry up as Namibian drought continues unabated
Large parts of Namibia remain in the grips of a brutal drought, with the last significant rainfall reported in the far southern region a decade ago.
Sharp recovery in low maize stocks expected soon
The low supply of maize currently being experienced in South Africa, has resulted in a short-term squeeze and volatility in the market.
Beefmaster breeder’s quest for optimal returns on investment
The success of a livestock breeding concern depends on choosing a breed that makes economic sense and optimises return on investment. For a part-time farmer, an additional requirement is that the breed is hardy enough to thrive without pampering. Part-time stud breeder Dirco Swart of Frankfort told Annelie Coleman that the Beefmaster ticked all these boxes.
Getting down to business with geese farming
Anton and Sharon Kock’s Ember Down goose down and feather business has been built on ethical farming practices, attention to detail and meticulous management.
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