Staff Reporter
Venter Boerdery: how stepping back built a successful Bonsmara stud
What began as a way to give his sons some breathing room has grown into one of South Africa’s top-performing Bonsmara studs. Boeram Venter shares how a focus on cattle genetics and a hands-off approach to succession has helped secure the future of Venter Boerdery.
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Partner with Purpose. Grow with Confidence
In farming, success rarely happens by chance. It starts long before a seed is planted or the first raindrop falls. Looking ahead allows producers to make decisions that will shape their future successful harvests.
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Keeping farms protected and productive with Husqvarna sprayers
In 2025, South Africa recorded more than 24 000 confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth disease across multiple provinces, threatening the livestock industry, trade, and livelihoods. In such circumstances, maintaining biosecurity and animal health is critical, and farmers need reliable tools to act swiftly and efficiently.
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Why variable speed drives make sense in modern irrigation
Variable speed drives are transforming modern irrigation by shifting control from valves to pump speed. Instead of running motors at full capacity and throttling flow, the drives adjust motor speed to match real-time crop water demand, reducing energy use, electrical stress and water hammer.
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Unpacking what sets the Agrico G3 centre pivot apart
Agrico’s G3 centre pivot irrigation system is designed to adapt to the challenges of modern farming and isn’t just another ordinary water application system.
Join us at the 2026 Malanseuns Garden Festival!
Get ready to dig in, explore, and be inspired! The third annual Malanseuns Garden Festival, taking place from 10 to 12 April, promises a vibrant weekend filled with lush displays, hands-on learning, and outdoor fun for all ages.
Leading African agribusinesses gather in Gqeberha for IBMA 2026
The 2026 International Conference on Business Models in Agriculture is taking place from 8 to 10 March at The Boardwalk Hotel and Convention Centre in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. This year’s theme is ‘AgriFuture: Connecting African Innovation to Global Markets’.
An introduction to forward contracts and commodity futures for South African farmers
The agriculture sector is notoriously volatile, but producers can find stability using financial derivative tools. This article clearly defines and differentiates between two key instruments: forward contracts and futures contracts.
Budgeting: replace the guesswork with pro-active management
Budgeting isn’t reserved for accountants. In South African agriculture, where margins are under pressure from volatile input costs, unpredictable weather, and fluctuating commodity prices, it is an important management tool that helps farmers plan for profitability, resilience, and long-term sustainability.
Steenhuisen addresses concerns over Foot-and-mouth disease crisis
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) continues to spread beyond its epicentre in KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and North West and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen admits the outbreak remains a serious concern.
MEC Vuyiswa Ramokgopa outlines Gauteng’s FMD containment plan
Foot-and-mouth disease is putting farmers under extreme pressure. In this in-depth conversation, Farmer's Weekly’s Gary Wium and Tinus Havinga from FarmTalk sit down with Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, to unpack the province’s FMD disaster management plan.
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Power and intelligence working together
The new John Deere S7 Combine offers innovative improvements that help farmers get more out of every hour in the field.
MEC Elzabe Rockman details Free State’s FMD containment plan
At an engagement session hosted by the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development at the Harry Gwala Multi-Purpose Hall in Sasolburg on 5 February, MEC Elzabe Rockman outlined the province’s foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) response plan to Farmer's Weekly's Gary Wium.
From mushroom waste to livestock feed
Dr Ingrid Malebana and Dr Klaas-Jan Leeuw, researchers at the Agricultural Research Council, are exploring whether a simple farm by-product can help South African farmers cut costs.
How digital livestock auctions are helping farmers trade safely during the FMD outbreak
Farmer’s Weekly editor Janine Ryan speaks to SwiftVee CEO Russel Luck about how digital, real-time livestock auctions are enabling farmers to continue buying and selling stock during the restrictions placed on movement in light of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in South Africa.
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Agrico’s support makes commercial farming in Botswana possible
The success of a farming operation in Botswana is largely due to the accessibilty of equipment and technical backup from reliable service providers, like Agrico.
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Purpose-built vehicle solutions for your business
Custom single-cab conversions offer practical solutions for safe storage and transport across a variety of industries and businesses. Toyota-engineered alterations are now available through Hilux Custom Builds to ensure uncompromising performance.
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Keep cash flow healthy to HELP your farming enterprise thrive
A farm is purchased with capital, but cash flow keeps it running. From maintenance to insurance, the cost of ownership is often higher than new buyers expect. Andreas Greeff, managing director of Vleissentraal Eiendomme, shares advice for sustainable farm management.
Reliable market access is key to expanding South African goose farming
Modern goose farming faces several challenges, including competition from cheaper poultry alternatives like chicken, declining demand for products such as feathers, and ethical concerns surrounding practices like force-feeding to produce foie gras.
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Future-proofed 5G connectivity for mines, hospitals, and hotels
Poor mobile signal in 2026 isn’t just inconvenient—it’s costly. Mines, hospitals, and hotels face safety, clinical, and revenue risks, while proactive organisations stay in control with reliable connectivity.
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