Lloyd Phillips
Lloyd Phillips joined Farmer’s Weekly in January 2003 and is now a Senior Journalist with the publication. He spent most of his childhood on a Zululand sugarcane farm where he learned to speak fluent Zulu.
After matriculating in 1993, Lloyd dreamed of working as a nature conservationist. Life’s vagaries, however, had different plans for him and Lloyd ended up sampling various jobs in South African agriculture before becoming a proud member of the Farmer’s Weekly team.
SA potato industry to have greater access to Mondial variety
South Africa’s potato production industry is set to gain from a settlement agreement approved recently by the Competition Tribunal (CompTrib).
Dealing with the data produced by precision farming
Erik de Vries, a director at precision farming consultancy Agri Technovation, says the number and diversity of data points generated by precision agriculture technologies require capable central platforms to allow the information to add value to farming businesses.
‘SA consumers becoming better educated about rooibos health benefits’
South Africa’s consumers, as well as the rooibos value chain, are now far more knowledgeable about the health benefits of this uniquely South African plant and the variety of products that can be manufactured from it than five years ago.
Earthworms to the rescue on degraded sugar cane land
With sugar cane being a perennial crop that is ploughed out and replanted only after a number of years, the soil in which it grows can suffer as a result of monocropping. KwaZulu-Natal sugar cane farmer Chloe Clegg has engaged earthworms to improve the health, productivity and sustainability of the soil on her family farm. Lloyd Phillips visited her operation near Harding.
World-class operation profits from ethically produced pigs
In response to ever-more consumers demanding ethically produced food, Butt Farming, a large commercial pig operation in KwaZulu-Natal, is incorporating improved animal welfare practices into its processes while maximising productivity.
Oriental fruit fly eradicated in Northern Cape municipalities
Joint monitoring and control efforts by both public and private sector role players have resulted in the successful eradication of the highly invasive and destructive oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) from two Northern Cape district municipalities.
SA leads in sub-Saharan African food security index
Despite facing challenges in its agricultural production and socio-economic environment, South Africa’s food security ranked first out of 28 sub-Saharan African countries, and 48 out of 113 countries surveyed worldwide.
FairPlay calls for chicken imports from Brazil to be banned
FairPlay South Africa (FairPlay) has called on government to urgently impose a total ban on imports of chicken products from Brazil.
What to look for when buying beef breeding stock
Breeding with structurally faulty animals can set a herd’s quality, productivity and profitability back several years. Knowledgeable breeders Ting Braithwaite, Tim Hempson and Ndumiso Gule, all based in KwaZulu-Natal, share their tips on what to look for when considering which animals to buy as a nucleus or replacement breeding stock.
Special master appointed to deal with labour tenancy claims
The newly appointed special master responsible for facilitating the smooth handling of labour tenancy claims will have the authority of the Land Claims Court and other legal entities behind him.
Drought conditions likely to persist despite recent rain
Hopes have been dashed that the recent widespread rain across South Africa’s summer rainfall region would put an end to widespread water-constrained and drought conditions.
Top executives fingered in Tongaat Hulett investigation
A six-month forensic investigation into the financial affairs of Tongaat Hulett Limited (THL) has identified extensive financial mismanagement allegedly carried out, or deliberately overlooked, by a number of leaders within the group, including Tongaat Hulett’s former CEO, Peter Staude.
Bringing more South African game meat to dinner tables
Game meat is an often-prized, but scarce, protein source. According to independent meat safety consultant Dr Tertius Bergh, systems for improving the safety standards of processing game meat could ensure far more widespread consumption.
‘Opportunity for SA to increase grain exports to Zimbabwe’
News that Zimbabwe’s government has significantly relaxed import and pricing controls on staple foodstuffs, is an opportunity for South Africa to increase exports of maize and wheat to its neighbour, according to Grain SA.
Tongaat Hulett secures more funding for turnaround strategy
The Tongaat Hulett group has entered into detailed arrangements with lenders for existing and additional loans to assist the ailing company’s recovery. This was according to a recent shareholder update issued by the company.
How super-detailed drone mapping is changing farming forever
To stay profitable in an increasingly tough environment, farmers must use their land and other resources to their maximum potential. The amazingly detailed imagery captured by unmanned aerial vehicles can help achieve this. Lloyd Phillips visited Agri-Sense International to find out more.
New campaign aims to pressure UN to act on on-farm crime
Concerned that crimes committed against family farming operations pose a major threat to global food and fibre production, the Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI) has embarked on an international social mobilisation campaign.
No need to panic about water shortages, yet – Sisulu
While South Africa is currently in a “very serious” situation with regard to water shortages, there is no need for the public to panic “at this stage”.
‘Struggle’ continues for Lesotho wool and mohair producers
Lesotho’s wool and mohair producers have only benefitted slightly from the government’s recent decision to allow other wool and mohair auctioneers and brokers to start competing with the Lesotho Wool Centre.
Legal advice on fighting false labour tenancy claims
Based on his extensive experience in representing mostly KwaZulu-Natal landowners in labour tenancy claims lodged against them, attorney Rob McCarthy of McCarthy and Associates believes the process is inherently biased in favour of claimants. He speaks to Lloyd Phillips about this challenge, and gives landowners advice on how best to fight false labour tenancy claims.
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