Glenneis Kriel
Glenneis Kriel is a senior agricultural journalist for Farmer's Weekly. Her ventures into agricultural journalism started out by chance, more than 20 years ago, when someone suggested she freelance for the magazine, which turned out to be her dream job. Her passion is to write stories that inspire greatness and make people evaluate the way they are doing things.
Self-driving sprayers: cost-effective amid rising compliance pressure
Farmer’s Weekly recently had an opportunity to witness the compact, self-driving OSAM S500 PRO Multi-function Sprayer in action in a table grape vineyard in the Hex River Valley, Western Cape.
Canning industry faces mounting pressure from climate, markets, tariffs
The South African canning industry is navigating a tough season as dry, warm climatic conditions, tight markets, and a stronger rand collide with ongoing uncertainty around US tariffs.
Poultry master plan investments are starting to pay off
South Africa’s broiler industry is more competitive than the US’s, according to the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy’s (BFAP) new ‘Competitiveness of the South African Broiler Industry’ report, after investment under the Poultry Sector Master Plan strengthened its efficiency and global standing.
From a reluctant farm worker to a raisin trailblazer
Petri Swart never planned on pursuing a job in agriculture. Yet, his hands-on approach, technical focus, and willingness to challenge conventional raisin production systems has earned him recognition as SA Raisins’ 2025 Young Farmer of the Year.
PropelMapper: turning voice notes into actionable farm insights
A platform, PropelMapper, is transforming how agricultural consultants, sales agents and researchers capture and use field data, producing insights that can be shared across teams. Tech entrepreneur Reghardt Pretorius, co-founder of PropelMapper, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the solution.
Crafting excellence in the Green Kalahari
Bezalel Wine and Brandy Estate has evolved from a bulk grape supplier to a producer of small-batch, high-quality wines, brandies, and infusions. Martiens Bezuidenhout spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his family’s journey.
Call for VAT-free chicken ahead of 2026 Budget Speech
Civil society organisation FairPlay has renewed its call for VAT-free chicken ahead of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s Budget speech later this month, saying zero-rating basic poultry products would be the fastest way to address food insecurity and child malnutrition in South Africa.
Getting to the root of healthy vineyards
Vineyard success is built from the ground up, starting with the correct planting and care of new vines. Glenneis Kriel reports on the advice of viticulturist Marko Roux on how growers can give vines the best possible start.
Western Cape ramps up efforts to combat foot-and-mouth disease
The Western Cape is on high alert following suspected and confirmed outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in three informal settlements and on one commercial dairy farm.
Pest control operator rule eased for certain restricted agri remedies
A recent Western Cape High Court ruling means farmers may, for the time being, purchase and use certain restricted agricultural remedies without being registered as pest control operators.
Farmers fear reforms may come too late as wheat crisis deepens
Grain SA and Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen are pushing for urgent reforms to support wheat farmers, but many producers are concerned that it may be too little, too late.
FMD crisis hits meat supply, threatens exports, drives prices up
Foot-and-mouth disease is destabilising South Africa’s meat supply chain, shutting down export markets, forcing the destruction of usable product, raising consumer prices, and threatening the beef industry with losses over R13 billion, while some dairy producers might be pushed out of production.
Boer goats: Resilient animals thriving even on hostile terrain
Giel Swiegers’s Boer goats aren’t the farm’s main income, but by grazing once-unused slopes, they play a vital role in keeping his farm, Witrivier, resilient and productive.
FMD outbreak near Gouda remains contained, quarantine under review
Livestock farmers around the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) quarantine area near Gouda in the Western Cape are growing increasingly frustrated by delays in the release of a second round of laboratory test results, which could see the quarantine lifted if all samples test negative.
Long-term thinking is key to the wine industry’s survival
Long-term thinking is critical to the survival of South Africa’s wine industry, as producers navigate accelerating technological change and steadily declining global wine consumption, agricultural economist Dr Jan Greyling told delegates at the Vinpro Nedbank Producer Information Day.
Domestic travel boom fuels growth in agritourism
South Africa’s strong festive-season tourism performance is increasingly being driven by domestic travellers, a trend that is giving agritourism enterprises around the country a significant boost.
Changing lives in farming communities
For the past two decades, the Anna Foundation has been transforming the lives of rural children and their communities, growing from a single after-school centre into a network of programmes across the Western Cape.
VEA sets new standard in Boer goat breeding
VEA Stud Breeders made headlines in the past two years for paying the highest prices at various auctions for top Boer goats. William Smit, general manager of VEA Agri and Tourism, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how these strategic purchases are helping them build a stud that excels both on the farm and in the show ring.
Against all odds: SA extra-virgin olive oil shines in 2025
South African extra-virgin olive oil producers have earned some of the highest honours at major international competitions over the past year, despite the local industry accounting for just 0,99% of the global olive oil market, according to the SA Olive Association.
Dormers: when quality meat really does count
The Kinko Dormers stud near Swellendam in the Western Cape is proving that precision breeding, backed by performance data, can deliver measurable financial advantages. Johan Swart, the owner of the stud, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his breeding philosophy and the performance-driven approach behind his success.
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