Farmer's Weekly

On 26 October, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana tabled the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) in the Cape Town City Hall. There have been mixed reactions to the statement, and while this minibudget suggests that South Africa's finances a

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor Janine Ryan, janiner@caxton.co.za Managing editor Ellis Mnyandu, ellis@caxton.co.za News editor Julinda Schroeder, julindas@caxton.co.za Art director Louis Kruger Designer Mario Ferlito Chief copy editor Paul Sulter Copy editors

UK farmers have been warned that the cost-of-living crisis could trigger further increases in thefts from farms and rural properties this winter. - farminguk.com At Jordan Dairy Farm in Rutland, Massachusetts, US, the cows are doing two things: produ

36 YEARS AGO 1911 3 January 1986 2022 This article showed how moving a herd into a maize area paid dividends for a partnership between a dairy farmer and his crop-farmer father-in-law. Limited arable land for maize-silage production prompted KwaZulu-

As the 2022/23 summer crop season commences in the Southern Hemisphere, the grain and oilseed production estimates being released by the International Grains Council (IGC) and the US Department of Agriculture will increasingly incorporate more inform

In recent times, the news has been dominated by failing coalition governments in South Africa's metros. The Supreme Court ruling in October that the executive mayor of Johannesburg, Dr Mpho Phalatse, was removed illegally in a decision made by the Jo

Skewed social media messages about elephants and conservation are leading to greater destruction of the environment, according to Deon Furstenburg, an independent wildlife scientist and consultant to Wildlife Ranching South Africa. "Loss of habitat a

A newly established indigenous veld goat project promises to unlock the raw potential of Eastern Cape communities plagued by poverty. This was according to Barend Uys, head of intercultural relations and co-operation at AfriForum, following the launc

Food processing is the "missing link" in the African Union's quest to halve poverty and end hunger on the continent by 2025. This was according to the Annual Trends and Outlook Report presented at the 2022 Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Su

Botswana's Ministry of Agriculture recently announced that the country intended to increase its cattle population from the current estimated figure of 1,7 million to three million by 2028. This followed a recent study by Mauritius-based International

In a recent address to farmers and other beef industry stakeholders at Botswana's National Agricultural Show, President Eric Masisi announced that the government was in the process of setting up a new entity expected to help liberalise the beef secto

With growing fears that climate change may affect the production of potatoes in the UK, the James Hutton Institute in Dundee, Scotland, is trying to develop new varieties that will grow in warmer conditions. According to the BBC, the annual retail va

The agriculture ministry in Ukraine has announced plans to overhaul legislation that prohibits the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops, due to a growing illicit market for these commodities. As a significant global exporter of agricultural

Following outrage from poultry farmers forced to cull chicks amid a shortage of US dollars, Egypt will release an "appropriate quantity" of feed components from ports every week, according to the agriculture ministry. Reuters reported that about 1,5

A recent report by the US Department of Labor has revealed that children in Zimbabwe were subjected to the "worst forms of child labour", commercial sexual exploitation, and forced labour in mines and on farms. According to the report, Zimbabwe had m

The South African government is setting up a task team to find ways to protect local banana farmers from 'cheap imports'. Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Thoko Didiza told Farmer's Weekly that this decision had been made af

The increasing number of open stretches of slow-flowing or standing water in South Africa following this year's good rainfall is creating the ideal conditions for an outbreak of liver fluke in ruminants this summer, according to Dr Danie Odendaal, di

The numerous breakaway actions that have taken place within organised agriculture in recent times could undermine the success of the country's entire agriculture sector, according to Ferdi Meyer, managing director of the Bureau for Food and Agricultu

Good rainfall is expected across the summer grain production region of South Africa this season, as well as most parts of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The climate over the SADC region was being affected by the El Niño Oscillatio

South Africa's on-farm productivity is not keeping up with population growth, but extension officers could turn the tide. This was according to Prof Beatrice Conradie, an agricultural productivity specialist and associate professor of economics at th

One of the latest projects set up by the Indigo Development & Change organisation, which coordinates sustainable farming projects in the Northern Cape's Suid Bokkeveld region, is focused on building capacity in sustainable stewardship and climate-sma

A new study has outlined agriculturalintensification strategies to enable Brazil, the world's largest soya bean exporter, to boost its soya bean production by 36% over the next 15 years without encroaching further on the Amazon rainforest. The four-y

Fresh produce accreditation systems that focus on farm labour are crucial to improve living standards, according to Fairtrade International. However, as consumers face increasing economic pressure and farmers see input costs rising, the margin for pr

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' Food Price Index, food prices overall decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching their lowest level in May 2020. After the pandemic, food prices rose sharply, as the sudd

The purpose of the National Water Act is to ensure the protection of South Africa's water resources. Any person who uses water unlawfully may be prosecuted or fined in accordance with the Act. A water-use licence application is generally required for

Researchers in Europe have found that biostimulants can reduce pollutants and improve water and soil quality through improved nitrogenuse efficiency. Omnia's data have shown that their own formulated biostimulants can boost water-use efficiency by as

Nearly 80 million birds have been culled worldwide over the past year to control the spread of avian influenza. Low-pathogenic avian influenza is becoming an increasing threat in Africa. Scientists are concerned that outbreaks among wild birds are on

According to the Poultry Bulletin for October/ November 2022, published by the South African Poultry Association (SAPA), there have been no reported cases of HPAI in South Africa since February this year. Despite this, farmers are urged to remain cau

Witkraal Farming in the Free State produces 16 varieties of cactus pear, six of which are commercially available. Witkraal's main focus is the production of cactus pear cladodes for the establishment of new orchards. Cactus pear offers farmers an ide

Before blooming, the sunflower plant tilts its head during the day to face the sun. This movement is known as heliotropism. At night, the flower head reorients its position and faces east in anticipation of the sunrise. When it matures, the flower ge

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), more commonly known as cattle pinkeye, is a highly contagious eye infection that can cause an infected animal great discomfort. In severe cases, blindness may result and weight gain in calves may be impai

Stolen Focus by Johann Hari (Bloomsbury R370) It's a hard question to think about if you're working flat out to year-end, but crucial to today's world, writes Hari: how can you help yourself concentrate better to get more done? "Do less" is Hari's ap

At what age do we start vaccinating and dosing our lambs and kids? Some farmers administer iodine drops within 24 hours of birth. Some dose on day one for Echerichia coli and Cryptosporidium. Others say that one shouldn't dose before vaccinating. Cou

HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that each row and column, as well as each of the 3 × 3 squares, contains all the digits from 1 to 9. Look out for the answers to this week's Sudoku puzzles in next week's magazine. ■

Tell us about your new motto, 'Regardless', and why you decided on this. Allow me to quote from Free State Agriculture's (FSA) 2022 Congress Book: "The dawn of a new era! We proudly represent the farmers and the communities of the Free State and see