Hanlie du Plessis
Hanlie du Plessis, a freelance journalist and content strategist, has over twenty years of experience in agricultural media. Her passion is bringing editorial projects from concept to final print, digital, or broadcast format. This stems from her strong sectoral roots, which centre around farmers, their stories, and their animals.
Kuruman farm under quarantine with confirmed FMD case
A foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the Kuruman district of the Northern Cape has now been officially confirmed, marking a significant development in the ongoing national crisis.
FMD in SA: no cloven-hoofed animals at Nampo 2026
Organisers of South Africa’s largest agricultural exhibition have confirmed that no cloven-hoofed animals will be exhibited at the 2026 Nampo Harvest Day, scheduled for 12 to 15 May at Nampo Park in Bothaville in the Free State.
FMD vaccine rollout criticised as industry questions years of inaction
Government has hailed the Agricultural Research Council’s release of South Africa’s first locally produced foot-and-mouth disease vaccine on 6 February as a milestone, but industry experts say it is overdue and overlooks earlier opportunities to curb the escalating outbreak.
‘Wage hike puts more pressure on agriculture’ – farmers’ organisations
Agricultural organisations across the sector have warned that South Africa’s latest national minimum wage increase risks intensifying financial pressure on farmers already grappling with disease outbreaks, rising input costs, and weak economic growth.
FMD vaccine urgency grows amid state procurement contradictions
South Africa’s worsening foot-and-mouth disease crisis highlights the urgent need to rapidly secure and distribute as many effective vaccines as possible to protect the national herd and stabilise an industry already under severe strain.
Drop in fuel prices brings welcome relief to farmers
The latest official fuel price adjustments published by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) show that petrol prices have fallen by around 65c/ℓ, while diesel prices have declined by between 50c and 57c/ℓ, depending on grade.
Experts step in to guide farmers through FMD crisis
As South Africa’s foot-and-mouth disease outbreak escalates into what experts are calling an unprecedented livestock crisis, scientists, veterinarians, and agriculture specialists have formally stepped in to give farmers practical, science-based guidance while the country awaits the vaccine rollout.
SA turns to UK to strengthen FMD vaccine response
South Africa has resumed sending foot-and-mouth disease field virus strains to the UK’s Pirbright Institute for the first time in more than a decade, marking a critical step in boosting outbreak response and ensuring vaccines being procured remain effective.
Gauteng outlines intensified provincial response to foot-and-mouth disease
The Gauteng Provincial Government has escalated its response to the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, describing the situation as a ‘very serious disaster’ with far-reaching implications for food security, jobs, and economic stability.
Deep dive into SA’s Merino wool industry and the luxury textile market
South African Merino wool thrives in global luxury markets thanks to centuries of selective breeding, environmental stewardship, evolving export systems, and increasingly transparent and technology-driven supply chains. We take a look at the local industry.
ASF and FMD cases in pigs raise alarm for SA pork industry
South Africa’s pork industry is facing growing pressure as confirmed cases of both African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease in pigs trigger stricter biosecurity measures and renewed concerns over export viability.
Industry confidence grows after first FMD council meeting
Livestock industry leaders have expressed growing confidence in South Africa’s national foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) control strategy following the first meeting of the newly established FMD Industry Coordination Council on 21 January.
Private sector joins the FMD vaccine drive
South Africa’s fight against foot-and-mouth disease has entered a new phase, with the private sector taking on a more direct and formal role in vaccine supply and deployment.
FMD: Pig industry on high alert as biosecurity pressure intensifies
South Africa’s pork industry has been placed on heightened alert following the confirmation of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) case in a commercial piggery in the north-western Free State, with additional highly suspicious cases under investigation in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
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