CATEGORIES

Wine Farmers To Fight Ban In Court

Government’s recent decision to reinstate the ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages is expected to bring an already struggling wine industry to its knees, with some farmers feeling that not enough has been done by representative bodies to protect them. Jeandré van der Walt reports.

How A Community Is Keeping Hope Alive

The drought of the past eight years has transformed the Sutherland district into an austere and desolated landscape, almost lunar-like in its bleakness. Despite the devastation, the community here has decided to do all it can to survive, and help others survive, until the rain comes again. Annelie Coleman reports.

The Importance Of Maintaining Reproductive Health In A Herd

Fourth-generation farmer Gerhard Grobler says he has been able to achieve better results from his beef cattle herd after introducing crossbreeding. But, he adds, South Africa’s beef producers need to start managing animal health more proactively. Pieter Dempsey reports.

Adapt To The Covid-19 World, Or Die

COVID-19 has not only cost lives and livelihoods; it has changed consumer behaviour and buying patterns. To protect their businesses, farmers need to adapt to new market realities.

Small-Scale Success With Olives In Gauteng

Olive farming in South Africa tends to be concentrated in a few regions in the Western Cape and Northern Cape where conditions are ideal for this fruit. But in the early 2000s, Gauteng-based Hettie du Toit and her late husband, Frans, frustrated with the ongoing theft of their vegetables, decided to give olives a go on their plot. Pieter Dempsey reports

Achieving Employment-Intensive Land Reform In SA

A new study suggests that significant increases in the employment intensity of agriculture can be achieved if land, situated specifically in four local municipalities, is redistributed to smallscale farmers. According to Ben Cousins, emeritus professor at the University of the Western Cape’s Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, by focusing on specific types of farming in these four areas, almost 24 000 job could be created.

Plans to revive SA's groundnut industry

Due to drought and a lack of new cultivars, the country’s groundnut industry is in a precarious position. North West producer Lourens de Kock and Adri Botha, chairperson of the South African Groundnut Forum, spoke to Annelie Coleman about what needs to be done to turn the tide.

The many benefits of good tyre traction

Hennie Hattingh is responsible for original equipment sales at the Johannesburg branch of a major Southern African tyre and tube distributor. Stehan Cloete spoke to him about the effect of tyre pressure and tractor ballasting on fuel efficiency and productivity.

Sweet thorn encroachment in the Eastern Cape

A number of woody encroacher species are expanding both their distribution and density in the Eastern Cape. Sweet thorn (Vachellia karroo), the most common of these, detrimentally affects the quality of grazing in the province, writes independent agricultural consultant Dr Louis du Pisani.

Beefmasters produce heavy weaners despite drought

Coenraad Viljoen, who ran the Josephus Beefmaster Stud on Sunny Slopes near East London, said that strict selection criteria had paid off in the long run.

Insect Farm's Plans For Sustainable Protein

Insect farming, which is increasingly regarded as a sustainable alternative source of protein, has emerged as one of the fastest-growing agricultural industries. Dr Michael Woods, co-founder and CEO of Susento, spoke to Jeandré van der Walt about the advantages of insect farming and his goal of producing a high-quality protein sports drink from fly larvae.

The Master Architect Of The Highveld

Dutch architect Sytze Wierda left a unique and timeless legacy across the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek before the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902).

Rapid Spread Of Invasive Species

According to researchers at the Centre for Invasion Biology at Stellenbosch University (SU), a total of 1422 alien species are currently naturalised or invasive in South Africa. Much more action is needed to counter the increasing threats posed by invasive alien species in the country, warns Wiida Fourie-Basson, science writer in the SU Faculty of Sciences.

New Harvesting Solution For Premium Red Wine Grapes

New Holland’s new Braud 8030L CombiGrape offers an effective and user-friendly destemming and grapesorting solution to suit the needs of medium-sized vineyards.

Varied Tech Solutions Required For Small-Scale Farming

The dual nature of South Africa’s agricultural landscape precludes a one-size-fits-all approach to technology solutions. Small-scale farmers have limited budgets and challenges that cannot be solved without taking their distinctive circumstances into account.

Social Media Takes Farmer From Part-Time To Full-Time Tonota

When establishing a new business, investors often struggle with what to focus on first: the market or the product. Pork farmer Hannes Richards had little difficulty with this decision. A single advertisement on social media triggered such demand for his product that he had to expand his operation as rapidly as possible. Lindi Botha visited him on his farm in Limpopo.from part-time to full-time

EU's Proposed Food Labelling Bad News For Farmers

Key proposals in the European Commission’s new Farm to Fork strategy include enhancing protection for consumers and the environment. However, according to Roberto Moncalvo, vice-president of the Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations in the EU, the strategy may have negative consequences for farmers as well as consumers, as it makes it difficult, if not impossible, to produce a host of wholesome traditional foods that are the backbone of many farming regions.

Dental Sinusitis And Apical Tooth Disease

A rotten cheek tooth root can cause sinusitis and extensive facial swelling, warns Dr Mac.

The Psychology Of Retirement

Retirement is not a single event; it involves both emotional and financial considerations

Don't Take Shortcuts With Seedlings

When I mention seedlings in my articles, you may take it for granted that I’m referring to professionally grown seedlings in cavity seedling trays.

Meet The Future Of Agriculture

The Syngenta Leadership Academy is aimed at empowering a new generation of leaders in South African agriculture. Siyanda Sishuba spoke to three alumni about the skills and knowledge they gained from the academy’s programme.

Speedlings sweeten seed cane propagation efficiency

Conventional stick seed cane, while long relied on as the source of plant material for commercial sugar cane crops, comes with unavoidable inefficiencies. Experts in seed cane propagation explain how the ‘speedlings’ concept provides an alternative, cost-efficient option that has already proven itself in South Africa’s deman ing sugar cane farming industry.

Transporting cattle

Every cattle operation has to get its animals from A to B, despite the stress it places on them. Here’s how to carry it out smoothly and humanely.

THE DEATH MARCH

Graham Jooste dips into the diary of Rudolph Jordaan, who, with other Allied prisoners of war, was forced to work, and ultimately walk, across much of Europe towards the end of the Second World War.

Making waves: should South Africa's livestock exports by sea be allowed to continue?

South Africa’s exports of live animals by ship to the Middle East presents a major new opportunity for the country’s red meat farming industry. But the initiative has generated huge controversy within the industry and from animal welfare experts. Lloyd Phillips looks at both sides of the story.

Flicking flies in Barkly East

Fly fishing is as synonymous with the Eastern Cape district of Barkly East as are Merino wool and snow-capped mountains in winter. As Mike Burgess writes, the legacy of fly fishing in the region is not only rich, but evolving.

Favouring quality over quantity on a small piece oF land

The Patience family started farming on 95ha of rented land in Saron in the Western Cape in the 1960s, beginning with just 10 sheep and a handful of cattle. Today, Therecia Patience and her son, Gary, are on the same land, and are systematically improving the genetics of their Dohne Merino sheep. They spoke to Jeandré van der Walt about their successful operation.

Stress In Cattle

As part of an animal’s stress response, its body releases cortisol, a hormone that provides energy to help the animal escape the stressor. If the stress persists, however, the animal’s health will suffer.

Tooth Caps In Young Horses

Deciduous teeth that are not shed can be problematic in young horses in training, warns Dr Mac.

Beefmaster Breeders Enjoy A Packed, Informative Tour

The annual Beefmaster tour took place in Mpumalanga this year, and included visits to nine prominent Beefmaster breeders who collectively own about 8 300 animals.