Farmer's Weekly SA

25/01/2025

Botswana's Ministry of Lands and Agriculture has lifted the ban on the importation of certain commodities from South Africa.

24/01/2025

While government has lauded the bill as a step forward in land reform, the agriculture sector and other stakeholders remain cautious about its implications.

The Expropriation Bill has reignited discussions on land reform and its potential impacts on food security, property rights, and agricultural productivity.

24/01/2025

Sandton-based brothers Simeon and Jarren took over their grandfather’s farm located in Bethal, Mpumalanga, in 2009. Dr Barney Hurwitz was a pioneer of the Boran breed in South Africa.

In 1995, eight years before the establishment of the Boran Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa, he began importing Boran embryos from Zambia, while other breeders were importing the breed from Kenya.

Barney’s foray into the Boran is particularly interesting and speaks to the unique qualities of the breed.

Simeon and Jarren’s grandmother’s sister Reeva married into a farming family. Her children then also married into farming families. One of Reeva’s daughters, Marcelle, married a farmer in Mpumalanga.

As many farmers do at some point, Marcelle and her husband fell on hard times, and to stop the bank from liquidating the farm, Barney signed surety to keep the farm in the family.

Then, in the early 1990s, Marcelle’s son Evan, who grew up to become a veterinarian, along with his friend Shaun Morris, a well-known feedlot veterinarian in South Africa, began researching cattle outside of South Africa that were best suited for the country’s conditions.

This led them to the Boran, and acted as the foundation on which Hurwitz Farming was eventually built.

When Simeon and Jarren took over the farm, there was only a herd of between 10 and 15 head of Boran cattle, none of which were registered. As professional accountants, the brothers also had little experience in farming.

Click the link below to read more about Hurwitz Farming.

Hurwitz Farming has become synonymous with Boran cattle in South Africa. But it hasn’t always been plain sailing. Simeon Hurwitz spoke to Janine Ryan about the increasing popularity of this breed.

24/01/2025

Due to outbreaks of Goss’s bacterial wilt (Clovibacter michiganensis subsp. Nebraskensis) and bud rot of palms (Phytophthora palmivora) in South Africa, Botswana’s Ministry of Lands and Agriculture (MLA) recently suspended imports of certain commodities from South Africa.

23/01/2025

The Vinpro Nedbank Producer Day at Goudini Spa near Rawsonville, featured an insightful programme under the theme: Navigating Climate Chaos.

A panel discussion brought together industry experts who shared their approaches to climate and market resilience: From left: Conrad Schutte, CEO of Vinpro; Heinie Nel, Viticulturist at ; André Brink, owner Groot Phesantekraal Wines and Restaurant, and Johan Jordaan, Chief Winemaker at Spier Wine Farm.

Key takeaways from the session:

*André Brink's strategy for success:
-Focus on fewer, scalable products
-Maintain daily insight into financial flows
-Embrace technology for decision-making and efficiency
-Engage a passionate next generation familiar with the farm's challenges.

*Heinie Nel's advice to farmers:
-Know your farm and its unique regional characteristics
-Select production sites with clear winemaking goals
-Conduct thorough preplanting analyses before planting new vineyards
-Divide vineyards into smaller blocks to enhance irrigation efficiency.

*Johan Jordaan on collaboration and transparency:
-Share the story of your wine's origins and ethical practices
-Measure water, electricity, and carbon emissions to set baselines, track progress, and guide decisions
-Resilience and innovation are paving the way for sustainable practices in the wine industry!

Glenneis Kriel

23/01/2025

South Africa’s agritourism sector saw rising interest from the youth, city dwellers and families over the past festive season, according to Jacqui Taylor, CEO and founder of Africa.

Taylor said that more people now than before were looking for ‘glamping’ and camping experiences, as these were more affordable than staying in hotels and guesthouses. (‘Glamping’ is a form of camping that involves more luxurious accommodation and facilities than those associated with traditional camping.)

South Africa’s agritourism sector saw rising interest from the youth, city dwellers and families over the past festive season, according to Jacqui Taylor, CEO and founder of Agritourism Africa.

23/01/2025

South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities.

South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign....

22/01/2025

Financing for and investment in regenerative agriculture in South Africa are currently lagging behind what is happening in the rest of the world.

22/01/2025

Running a pork farm requires knowledge and expertise. Mosele Lepheane, director of a small piggery in the Free State, spoke to Sinenhlanhla Mncwango about the structured approach needed to succeed, from drafting a business plan and managing cash flow to sourcing equipment and expanding market access.

Running a pork farm requires knowledge and expertise. Mosele Lepheane, director of a small piggery in the Free State, spoke to Sinenhlanhla Mncwango about the structured approach needed to succeed, from drafting a business plan and managing cash flow to sourcing equipment and expanding market access...

21/01/2025

The symptoms of plant poisoning in livestock in South Africa can vary depending on the specific plant and type of toxin involved, writes Shane Brody.

20/01/2025

Instead of buying expensive growing mediums for seedlings, farmers can make their own mixtures from local resources, such as manure, which are economical and produce excellent results.

20/01/2025

is proud to announce our official media partnership with the International Commodity Summit 2025.

As South Africa's most trusted agricultural publication since 1911, we remain committed to providing our readers with expert insights, critical updates, and the latest industry developments.

We are excited to support the Summit and look forward to delivering exclusive coverage and in-depth analysis to our readers.

For more info about the Summit, click the link: https://bit.ly/3WmJxsQ

20/01/2025

In this week’s magazine, we focus on grains and oilseeds, with articles on best practices for grain farmers and the diverse applications of oilseeds.

Also in this issue, two crocodile farmers share how they are contributing to conservation and economic growth, and Preserve Botanica leads the way in upcycling hops waste through pioneering research.

19/01/2025

The African Baza, a bulk carrier, recently offloaded 23 700t of white maize produced in the US at the Port of Durban.

The African Baza, a bulk carrier sailing under the Bahamas flag, last week offloaded 23 700t of white maize produced in the US at the Port of Durban.

18/01/2025

Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, MEC for the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Johannesburg, Pan Qingjiang, launched a tree-planting initiative on Wednesday at Parktown Girls High School.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3PGm55S

17/01/2025

In 2021, Juval Kürzi, founder of Wild Foods in Switzerland, took the leap to start a food company that would bring ‘clean label’ vegan food to the market. Today the company is based largely on just two products – smoked ‘salmon’ made from carrots, and beetroot ‘charcuterie’ and jerky (biltong). Both boast fewer than five ingredients each.

A third product was introduced this year to mimic tuna. The celeriac-based product is presented as a tuna-mayonnaise-like filling for sandwiches or dips, with the mayonnaise component made without eggs.

Click the link to learn more: https://bit.ly/4jhBebw

17/01/2025

Nutrient circularity in cattle farming can help improve soil health and reduce farming costs. Ernest Makua, livestock technical adviser at Red Meat Industry Services, spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about practical strategies for farmers to achieve sustainability and profitability in the industry.