17 April 2024 By: Lebogang Mashala A heavy downpour and cold weather didn’t stop farmers from Thaba Nchu and neighbouring areas attending last week’s African Farming farmers’ day at Barolong Hall in Thaba Nchu, Free State.  With the El Niño phenomenon posing a severe threat of drought, African Farming took a proactive approach to provide insights and strategies to help farmers through this challenging time.  About 200 farmers attended the first farmers’ day of 2024, where the programme covered a broad range of topics presented by some of South Africa’s leading farmers and industry ex ..read more

17 April 2024 By: Lebogang Mashala Retail giant Woolworths has launched a campaign that aims to help regenerate the earth by promoting sustainable agriculture, while also addressing climate change, water scarcity and land degradation.  According to Latiefa Behardien, chief food technology and sustainability officer at Woolworths, the Farming for the Future campaign encourages stakeholders to rethink agriculture as an integral part of the natural world, where every decision is guided by principles of regeneration, resilience and interconnectedness. Behardien says the campaign is based on a ..read more

16 April 2024 Karan Beef, through The Karan Beef Academy, has published an excellent educational video series designed to provide essential cattle farmer training to the future commercial farmers of South Africa. This 10-part series aims to equip aspiring and existing cattle farmers in South Africa with the knowledge and skills to enhance profitability and succeed in the ever-growing beef cattle market. It is available in English, IsiXhosa, and isiZulu. Follow the link for the entire series ..read more

12 April 2024 By: Lloyd Phillips  The three-year-old Droughtmaster bull 21-0003 CSA, bred by Considerata SA, was sold to Soetvelde Droughtmasters this week for a South African breed record price of R1,6 million. The buyers of the record R1,6 million Droughtmaster bull 21-0003 CSA, say they plan to mate him with the offspring of the R1,4 million Droughtmaster bull they bought last year. VOVA Genetics sold the latter bull.  With this purchase, Soetvelde Droughtmasters have set two consecutive South African price records for Droughtmaster bulls.  Roan van Tonder of Soetvelde D ..read more

11 April 2024 By: Lloyd Phillips Although South Africa’s animal health authorities have made significant strides in bringing foot-and-mouth outbreaks under control, cases of this economically important disease sometimes have authorities scratching their heads. The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) that was reported on 21 February in the Free State’s Frankfort district remains localised to one commercial farm. Neighbouring farms have, however, also been placed under precautionary quarantine while further investigations are carried out.  Despite cattle on the index farm having shown ..read more

11 April 2024 Maize thefts have hit certain parts of the Free State this year like a “flood wave”, with thieves – in groups of up to 20 – striking fields at night. In a year when drought conditions are hitting maize plantations and farmers’ income hard, a quick survey by Free State Agriculture (FSA) shows that maize thefts have become a major problem. Dr Jane Buys, security risk analyst at FSA, says farmers have reported maize thefts in March and April in 14 towns: Allanridge, Bethlehem, Bloemfontein, Bothaville, Bultfontein, Clocolan, Fouriesburg, Jacobsdal, Koppies, Odendaalsrus, Reitz, Saso ..read more

11 April 2024 The Cape Leopard Trust (CLT) hopes portable kraals will assist with the conservation of predators and the protection of livestock. In some parts of South Africa, farm animals and wild animals coexist in the same habitat. Sometimes, predators hunt on farms for their next meal due to a shortage of prey. This poses a threat to agricultural operations and results in significant financial losses for farmers. According to CLT, it is best to secure livestock in the evening, when they are at their most vulnerable. However, a permanent structure is not an option for many farmers. While so ..read more

10 April 2024 The first very light snowfall of 2024 fell over the southeastern Drakensberg early on Tuesday afternoon. “It is very minimal and as expected, the snowfall – as anticipated earlier – is not expected to be widespread. If any more snow were to fall, it would be later tonight or through the night,” says Johan van den Berg, independent agricultural meteorologist. A video of very light snowfall at Afriski was shared on Snow Report SA’s Facebook page. Van den Berg says as the conditions for rain clear from Tuesday afternoon (April 9) and move over central and western parts of South Afri ..read more

9 April 2024 The National Consumer Commission (NCC) is concerned about an increase in agriculture-related schemes that attempt to lure investors with promises of high profits. Its latest investigation focuses on a scheme promising high returns on virtual pigs. The commission warns consumers to be cautious when dealing with Piggy Farm Trading, whose activities it is investigating after complaints that it may be a multiplication scheme. The Consumer Protection Act defines a multiplication scheme as a scheme through which a person promises, offers or guarantees an effective annual interest rate t ..read more

9 April 2024 By: Lloyd Phillips A range of factors is contributing to a significant slowdown in purchases of new tractors and combine harvesters by South Africa’s farmers this year. Despite the offerings of new tractors and combine harvesters being highly competitive between suppliers, farmers are hesitant to buy them. This is reflected in the significant decline in sales of both categories compared to the same period last year. According to the SA Agricultural Machinery Association (SAAMA) data for the period 1 January to 31 March, sales of new tractors nationwide totalled 1 383 units. T ..read more