Make peace with Lulu, says Karaan

Suth Africa's agricultural leaders will have to find more constructive methods to address conflict with land and agriculture minister Lulama Xingwana, said Mohammad Karaan, chairperson of the National Agricultural Marketing Council. He said the current approach of confronting the minister on everything she says is creating a stalemate, which is damaging to the industry as a whole.
Issue Date: 30 March 2007

Ethanol Africa gets R825m injection

Biofuel Company Ethanol has secured funding of R825 million to continue construction of the first maize-to-ethanol plant in Bothaville in the Free State. This announcement comes amid recent allegations by maize farmers that their financial investments into the company have gone missing.
Issue Date: 30 March 2007

Land: ‘first refusal’ plan stirs a storm

A proposal being put to Cabinet that landowners wishing to sell their properties should first offer them to the state has sparked fears the land market could grind to a halt because an overstretched and poorly skilled land affairs department already struggling to meet land transfer demands will be faced with a massive increase in the number of property transactions it must process.
Issue Date: 30 March 2007

Fuel hike will hit food prices

Already faced with escalating prices, consumers will from next month have to fork out more for fuel - which will impact further on food prices.
Issue Date: 30 March 2007

Lulu’s comments cut SA Canegrowers

Land and agriculture minister Lulama Xingwana had Canegrowersofficials scurrying to implement damage control recently after she mistakenly accused the organisation of carrying out transformation within its management structures too slowly, especially with regard to the appointment of women.
Issue Date: 30 March 2007

Devastating FS fires investigated

Forensic investigations are under way to determine the cause of a wildfire that recently swept through farms 20km north of Bloemfontein in the Free State, causing massive damage to crops, livestock and infrastructure.
Issue Date: 30 March 2007

Biofuels challenge the feed industry

Growth in grain-based ethanol production will have a significant impact on the feed industry. This was a key message from Roger Gilbert, secretary general of the International Feed Industry Federation, at the Sixth International Congress for the Animal Feed Industry held at Sun City in North West recently.
Issue Date: 30 March 2007

Dealing with splints

A splint is a bony growth that forms on the inside edge of the splint bone between the splint bone and the cannon bone. It is the result of tearing of the ligaments between the bone, which causes inflammation and eventually a small bony growth.
Issue Date: 23 March 2007

Integrated pest management of brassicas

This practice combines natural and chemical means to control pests. In SA, brassica farmers tend to stick to a set chemical pest control programme.
Issue date:23 March 2007

Good manners cost nothing

In all sports there are leaders and followers. There is nothing demeaning about being a follower, as long your attitude is right - and you commit to make the affairs of the pigeon club run efficiently.
Issue date:23 March 2007

Premium success for Kango Wines

Despite the global wine glut, Kango Wines has substantially increased wine sales over the past few years by moving from bulk wine to premium wine production. In 2006 Kango's sales increased by over 18% on 2005.
Issue date:23 March 2007

Creating a ‘virtuous circle’

Former state president FW de Klerk recently presented a lecture on the state of African governance at the University of Pretoria. De Klerk evaluated Africa's performance since the establishment of Nepad six years ago.
Issue date:23 March 2007

New farming technology impresses top SA producer

Casper and Estie Badenhorst recently visited the EIMA Exposition in Bologna Italy. The visit was part of a sponsored study tour to Italy, which was the prize Casper won for achieving the Farmer of the Year award.
Issue date:23 March 2007

Bringing black truffles to South Africa

Ranking alongside caviar and saffron in price and rarity, black truffles are now produced in South Africa by Donna Hornby of Truffles of Africa in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal.

New milestone for farm ‘from the sky’

While allegations of deteriorating farmer-worker relations in the Western Cape continue to make headlines, award-winning Cape winery Delaire forges ahead with a major expansion project that has kicked off with the construction of workers' cottages that are now the envy of the district.

Regulations for transporting game

This draft document could have far-reaching consequences for the wildlife industry.

Ngunis return to their Eastern Cape roots

The University of Fort Hare's Nguni Cattle Project, launched in 2003, is successfully managing the resurgence of the Nguni cattle breed in its traditional home of the former Ciskei and Transkei. Mike Burgess reports on how this acclaimed development initiative has brought the Nguni back to its traditional roots to uplift poor rural communities.
Issue date:23 March 2007

Agritourism helps ostrich farm fly high

Agritourism has grown substantially from 2% of the tourism industry in the Western Cape in 1996 to 10% of the foreign tourist market currently. For most farms, tourism contributes between 2% and 30% to farm income.
Issue date:23 March 2007

SA’s milk industry -how sour is the situation?

The South African dairy industry is currently in turmoil, with milk producers complaining of poor milk prices, milk buying companies being charged with anti-competitive activities, and retailers being accused of playing suppliers off against one another.
Issue date:23 March 2007

Grain SA rejects proposed changes to AgriBee

Grain has resolved not to support the adjustments to the draft AgriBEE charter proposed by land and agriculture minister Lulama Xingwana.
Issue date:23 March 2007

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