Crops

By investing in soil health, Swartland canola farmer Sakkie Rust has attained higher yields and made his crops more drought-resistant. He explained his methods to Wouter Kriel.

According to Amazone, its new Ceus 3000-TX and 4000-TX disc and tine combination cultivators offer shallow, intensive lifting and crumbling, as well as deep loosening and mixing.

A recent study by Kristiina Ala-Kokko, a researcher at the University of Arkansas in the US, and felllow researchers has shown that, despite the controversy that still surrounds the use of genetically modified (GM) crops, the production of GM maize has resulted in many benefits for South African farmers and consumers.

The farming and processing of edible insects for human and animal consumption appears to be gaining in popularity. However, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, there are risks to eating insects that have not been farmed with the correct biosecurity measures in place, and these risks are potentially dangerous to human and animal health.

Not all no-till planters are compatible with, or suited to, after-market technology. However, in those cases where this is an option, the results from trials prove it is worth the investment, writes Stehan Cloete.

With above-average rainfall expected, the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) has expressed concern about vaccine shortages.

As governments implemented containment measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 in early 2020, they also introduced ways of limiting the effects of the virus and related lockdowns on agricultural supply chains. A recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development tracked these initiatives, including the South African government’s response.

The wildfires that decimated large parts of the Northern Cape have not only resulted in millions of rand in damage, but also left emotional scars on local inhabitants.

The conductor of an orchestra manages the musicians, hones their skills, and gets them to work in perfect harmony. There are many management lessons here for farmers, says Peter Hughes.

Husqvarna is set to give the farming industry an exciting new choice in chainsaws with the release of two battery-powered options – the Husqvarna T540i XP® top-handle and Husqvarna 540i XP® rear-handle.

There are few things in life as satisfying as whipping up a jar of home-made jam. This batch is easy to prepare, and is made entirely from natural ingredients, says Michael Feldmann.

Parent and child can work together on the farm, love each other, state their needs, be heard and learn to negotiate their differences. It starts with respect and compromise, says Trevor Dickinson.

The ongoing loss of natural spaces, including forests, has become a systemic risk for the global economy, warns the report, ‘State of Financing for Nature: Tripling investments in nature-based solutions by 2030’, by the United Nations Environment Programme.

South Africa is one of Jacto’s priority markets, which exports to more than 110 countries. The company has now expanded its reseller network to offer more farmers access to Jacto’s product lines.

Clear, concise writing that avoids phrases like ‘as a consequence of’ instead of ‘because’, or inanities such as ‘going forward’, creates a good impression and strengthens your arguments, says Peter Hughes.

A report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations argues that African governments need to invest more in their agriculture sectors in order to promote growth, create jobs and reduce poverty.

It is unlikely that South Africa’s commercial agriculture sector would have achieved its internationally respected status were it not for the investment that farmers have made in mechanisation. Lloyd Phillips spoke to a number of experts about some of the main agricultural machinery sales trends.

Spring has arrived, and to celebrate, here are two delicious recipes that combine colour, freshness and taste. Both make good use of appetising Sweet Palermo peppers.

New Holland’s latest baler innovation features a new system that not only delivers denser, more secure bales, but also eliminates twine off-cut waste.

When business-owning parents leave their children equal shares in the operation, a battle can erupt between those who work for the company and those who don’t. There are better ways to fairly distribute wealth to heirs, writes Trevor Dickinson.