Caxton Magazines

Cape Mohair and Wool, in conjunction with FNB, held its annual Best Economically Classed Wool Clip Awards ceremony on 7 September. The five finalists were Wayne Porter (AM Porter & Son) from Tarkastad; PD Jacobs of Vleiplaas Trust, Trompsburg; Paul Greeff of Willowmore; TPJ Vorster of Middelburg (Eastern Cape) and Gys Steyn and Thinus Viljoen of Neusberg Farming, also from Middelburg. There were only a few points' difference between the grand champion and the other winners. The winner was TPJ Vorster of Middelburg, who collected the award for the second time. - Staff reporter
Issue date: 28 September 2007

The fourth Kwanalu Toyota Young Farmer of the Year competition produced two outstanding finalists. This year's winner, Brandon Karg, was presented with the Kwanalu floating trophy and R5 000.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

La Motte's immense success in gaining gold medals at prestigious international wine competitions continued as they claimed two more awards at the 2007 MUNDUSvini Great International Wine Awards, held earlier this month in Cape Town.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

Neil MacGregor, a farmer from Nieuwoudtville, recently sold his 6 300ha farm Glenlyon to be used as a national botanical garden.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

In the 1960s South African gold mines earned £400 million per year, while government earned £500 million in taxes, according to environmental rights activist Mariette Liefferink.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

The Deciduous Fruit Development Trust (DFIDT) recently allocated almost R500 000 to training and empowerment programmes in the fruit industry.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

Birds have always been nature's early-warning system and in recent years they've been issuing their caveats at an alarming rate. Habitat shifting is one response to climate change and habitat destruction.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

Soon the Mpumalanga Lowveld will be home to the most technologically advanced mambas on earth.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

Southern Cape barley producers are threatening to divert their malting barley to other markets due to poor prices realised for this commodity. Leon Groenewald, a farmer from Riviersonderend and chairperson of the Barley Industry Committee, said the unhappiness is rooted in the fact that SAB prices for barley have remained around 800/t while international malting barley and wheat prices have increased substantially.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

As the land restitution process continues to fall behind target, the Land Claims Commission announced that it no longer favoured settling claims with financial compensation. Chief land claims commissioner Tozi Gwanya recently announced that his officials could not rule out land invasions and the only way to prevent a Zim-like situation was to stop encouraging monetary compensation for rural land claims.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

A KwaZulu-Natal farmer's neighbours have handed him his marching orders. Jaap de Villiers (76) of the farm Uitval just outside Vryheid is considering legal action following an eviction notice and resulting intimidation of his workers by a group of demonstrators.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

Another foot-and-mouth disease outbreak hits Britain
Save livestock from extinction

The impact of the new credit act on agriculture and food production will be devastating, said Santie Geldenhuys of TAU SA. Having spoken to agricultural credit suppliers she said the estimate was that about 15% of South Africa's commercial farmers would no longer qualify for credit.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

Once again the proposal that the departments of Agriculture and Land Affairs be put under one ministry came under attack during the TAU SA's annual congress.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

On 12 and 13 September TAU SA held its biggest congress ever at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria, on the topic of food security within Africa.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

European and US coffee roasting distribution companies have signed an agreement to use Ethiopia's coffee speciality trademarks.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

Alleged misadministration has seen millions disappear from the Department of Land Affairs (DLA) in the past financial year. According to the Public Service Commission's Professor Stan Sangweni a recorded R45,65 million has been lost due to financial misadministration in all national and provincial departments.

The Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs (Registrar of Animal Identification) and the Cattle Theft Head Office are in the process of reviewing the Animal Identification Act No 6 of 2002. Cattle farmers have the opportunity to submit suggestions to make the act more practical and user-friendly. Suggestions can be sent to Superintendent AP Oosthuizen on fax (012) 393 1548 or e-mail [email protected].
Issue date: 28 September 2007

KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union (Kwanalu) is finalising plans to create a land reform company to speed up transfers and post-settlement support, based on a model pioneered by the sugar industry.
Issue date: 28 September 2007

Deputy Land Affairs and Agriculture minister Dirk du Toit has been accused by a broad spectrum of critics of indulging in cheap politicking to mask government failures, following remarks he made in parliament that farmers evicting workers illegally should face expropriation.
Issue date: 28 September 2007