Caxton Magazines

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

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

The mismanagement of road reserves is a blot on our biodiversity conservation initiatives, writes Cameron McMaster.
Issue date : 23 January 2009

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

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

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

The 13th annual Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race (SCMDPR) is just around the corner. Fanciers from more than 30 countries will anticipate the return of about 3 400 pigeons on 31 January, after they've flown some 552km.
Issue date : 23 January 2009

Agribusiness Suidwes achieved excellent financial results three years in a row with a nett profit increase of 68% for the 2007/08 financial year. Fanie van Zyl, Suidwes board chairperson, ascribes this to ruthlessly pursuing a return on shareholders' funds and using as much of their own capital reserves as possible. Annelie Coleman spoke to him at the Suidwes headquarters in Leeudoringstad, North West, on the eve of the company's 100 birthday.
Issue date : 23 Janaury 2009

When times are tough, farmers have to become and remain technically and economically efficient.
Issue date : 23 Janaury 2009

Many farmers, local and foreign media reporters and stakeholders in business and industry were surprised when Agri SA, at its annual conference, officially called on members to no longer offer their land as willing sellers in the restitution process.
Issue date : 23 January 2009

Ntingwe Tea Estate in KwaZulu-Natal's rural Nkandla district has survived tough economic conditions and continues to produce a premium export product. Ntingwe is also the single biggest employer in that remote region, and like so many other tea estates largely remains supported by government to prevent large-scale unemployment, writes Robyn Joubert.
Issue date : 23 Janaury 2009

With frustration increasing over the slow pace of land reform and emerging farmer projects failing everywhere, Fanyana Jacob Sibeko established a successful Santa Gertrudis stud without handouts. His only encounter with government loan structures puzzled him because of their lack of support, writes Lloyd Phillips.
Issue date : 16 January 2009

Until 1896 the Karoo was the scene of Africa's largest wildlife migration, when the trekbokke - a grand migration of springbok - periodically filled the veld as far as the eye could see. Now the Nama-Karoo Foundation (NKF) wants to revive what could be South Africa's biggest tourist attraction, says NKF's spokesperson Marina Beal.
Issue date : 23 Janaury 2009

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Keeping a beady eye on milk recording data and the wellbeing of his cows, Charlie MacGillivray runs an award-winning Holstein herd, writes Robyn Joubert.
Issue date : 23 January 2009

Having grown up in the Limpopo bushveld, Nico Wagner has the blood of a stockman coursing through his veins. This young farmer has already had two of his bulls represent the Charolais breed in the Vleissentraal-ARC Special Performance Test Class. In 2008, one of his cows received the Farmer's Weekly-ARC Best Elite Cow award. Jasper Raats reports.
Issue date : 16 January 2009