Caxton Magazines
Water Affairs responds
Mining is a major contributor to water pollution and the impact seems to have peaked. There are reports of radioactive and heavy-metal contaminated sediment polluting water to the extent that fish die and livestock miscarry. Rudi Massyn spoke to Marius Keet, regional deputy director of water quality at the Gauteng Department of Water Affairs and Forestry.
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
feature
Evidence suggests that lax control during mining operations and a culture of shifting responsibility and outright denial have caused catastrophic damage to water systems and wetlands draining from the Witwatersrand basin. This pollution has even put farmers out of business, writes Rud
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Global slump is hurting wheat price
A record wheat harvest and slow consumption are pushing up the expected global carryover stockpile, which doesn't bode well for South African wheat producers.
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Farmers must now ‘rehabilitate’ contaminated land
Farmers will soon be required to take responsibility for contamination of their land, thanks to amendments to both the National Building Regulations Act and the Waste Bill.
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Cholera sparks concern over possible food contamination
A national crisis looms if government doesn't take a more active approach to securing South Africa's water quality. With more than 2 100 cases of cholera and 15 deaths reported since the outbreak of the disease in November last year, fresh produce markets are now testing produce from affected areas to ensure food is safe.
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
More sour grapes at milk hearings
In an attempt to have charges of milk cartel activity against them dropped, dairy companies Milkwood and Woodlands followed their co-respondents into the Competition Tribunal on 19 and 20 January.
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Investors lose confidence in agriculture
Confidence in the agribusiness sector, as measured in the last quarter of 2008, is 21% lower than the same period in 2007, according to a joint report from the Agricultural Business Chamber (ABC) and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
End of the road for Dr Phil?
Former Land Bank acting chief executive Dr Phil Mohlahlane has reportedly been dismissed from the agriculture department, sources within the department told Farmer's Weekly.
Farm attacks on the increase
While a joint operation between TAU SA and the South African Police Service ensured a relatively crime-free festive season in Limpopo, criminals were back in full force in January, with the latest victim Johannes Prinsloo, found dead in his bedroom with his hands and feet tied.
Machinery sales maintain momentum
Tractor and combine harvester dealers in South Africa received a welcome Christmas bonus this past December, with sales exceeding all expectations.
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Eastern Cape suffers as drought continues
The Eastern Cape Province is experiencing its worst drought in 50 years, Cerneels Pietersen, president of Agri Eastern Cape, told Farmer's Weekly.
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Issue date : 30 January 2009
Australians farm to save the planet
With Meat and Livestock Australia's massive research and development investment, its new ecofriendly farming methods could leave South Africa in the dust. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Issue date : 23 January 2009
Issue date : 23 January 2009
Fifteen years of no-till – the results
Karkloof's no-till pioneer René Stubbs has been at it for 15 years. His maize silage yield has increased from 8t/ha DM in 1995 to 14,5t/ha DM in 2008, with a saving of up to 40 of diesel/ha in land preparation. On pastures, he saves up to 60 diesel/ha which is close to R90 000 for 170ha of annual re-sown pasture, bringing total fuel savings to R132 000 a year, writes Robyn Joubert.
Canola promises grain rejuvenation
The establishment in 2011 of a canola-based biodiesel refinery in East London,
promises huge spin-offs for farmers in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State. It will allow farmers additional crop rotation options while increasing the animal factor on underutilised land.
PhytoPharming, a company which offers technical support on canola production,
claims that canola can increase follow-up crop yield by 25%. Glenneis Erasmus reports.
Issue date: 16 January 2008
Issue date: 16 January 2008
townie resorts to witchcraft again
Gloom and doom pervades the start of 2009. It's hard to be an optimist in the face of worldwide economic recession, wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan, the Iraqi situation still unresolved and Pakistan and India sizing each other up after the Mumbai debacle.
Issue date : 23 Janaury 2009
Issue date : 23 Janaury 2009
Road reserves & breaking the law
The mismanagement of road reserves is a blot on our biodiversity conservation initiatives, writes Cameron McMaster.
Issue date : 23 January 2009
Issue date : 23 January 2009
The Albany Thicket biome
Thicket is one of the richest but most poorly conserved biomes. Its high diversity of species is internationally recognised as being globally important, writes Cameron McMaster.
Issue date 16 January 2009
Issue date 16 January 2009
The Du Plessis Knives
The Du Plessis Werke range of knives has expanded dramatically, from fixed-blade hunting knives to different types of folders, carving sets, dinner services and collectors' items.
Issue date : 16 Janaury 2009
Issue date : 16 Janaury 2009
Virus menace
Viral diseases are pretty deadly, once a plant becomes infected. There are no control measures other than to slow down the spread to other plants and land.
Issue date : 23 Janaury 2009
Issue date : 23 Janaury 2009
