Table of contents for 7 September 2018 in Farmer's Weekly

The land debate has been dominating headlines in South Africa since December last year, and in the run-up to the national election in 2019, every politician hoping to win a seat in Parliament has expressed an opinion on the matter. One element that has been almost completely missing from our deafening conversation about who should own South Africa’s land is, ironically, the mention of soil. This is probably because there is very little political capital to be earned from speaking to voters about dirt. Cape Town’s Day Zero and the Vaal River system’s pollution crisis have shown that people can easily be made to care about water, but it is far more difficult to appeal to human emotion on the subject of soil. Lehman Lindeque, former president of the International…

Most agricultural economists don’t spend their days ploughing lands or herding cattle: this is left in the hands of farmers and their farmworkers. In fact, economists are part of the majority of South Africans who eat food but don’t produce it. However, farmers and agricultural economists both know that to make farming work, you need the right combination of resources and the right conditions, which is something many people do not understand, including some government officials. Unfortunately, these same people feel compelled to raise their opinions on matters relating to farming without verifying the accuracy of their information and views. I have, many times, come across ridiculous statements that suggest smallholder farmers produce the majority of the world’s food, and that they will have to increase their production by up…

Phase 1 of the national compliance inspection of South Africa’s controversial captive lion breeding operations has reportedly been completed, and a report of the findings was being compiled. This was according to Edna Molewa, minister of the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), who was speaking at a colloquium held in Cape Town recently. The captive breeding and utilisation of lions in South Africa has increasingly come under the international spotlight after some lion breeding facilities were accused of alleged illegal, unethical and inhumane activities by various conservation and animal rights organisations. More recently, there was even greater global uproar when the DEA authorised the increase of the country’s export quota of lion skeletons from 800 to 1 500. A number of international and national conservation and animal rights organisations condemned…

Certain myths that existed in the grain industry about mycotoxins, including that mycotoxin risks were only regional, had to be debunked. MYCOTOXINS ARE PRODUCED BY FUNGI AND CONTAMINATE CROPS This was according Hannalien Meyer, technical specialist at the South African Grain Laboratory, who was speaking at the recent Agbiz Grain Symposium held in Pretoria. Meyer said other myths that needed to be debunked included that maize grade and quality showed whether mycotoxins were present, and that the industry needed to test only for Aflatoxin B₁ and not for other mycotoxins. (Aflatoxin B₁ is a carcinogen, which can cause liver disease in animals.) Mycotoxins were produced by different fungi that contaminated crops during different growth stages or in storage, she said. However, the reasons mycotoxins were produced were not yet fully…

The discovery of environmentally friendly alternatives to insecticides to combat stink bugs could save farmers millions of rand. Researchers at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI) in the US have discovered a way in which to better understand the chemical ‘language’ stink bugs use to communicate. Stink bugs use pheromones to attract mates or pass on the location of food. The discovery could be used to develop a different type of pest control. “We have gained a deeper understanding of how stink bugs synthesise pheromones, and this may allow us to produce pheromones in [trap crops] to lure the bugs away from cash crops,” said head researcher at VPI, Prof Dorothea Tholl, adding these alternatives could save farmers millions. In Virginia, crops such as grapes, sweetcorn and apples have been under…

Drs Jan du Preez and Gert du Preez recently released the book Animal Diseases and Man. The book aimed to increase people’s awareness of the threat of diseases that could be passed from animals to humans, as well as to equip them with the knowledge to reduce these risks. Dr Jan du Preez said the book had been written to empower farmers, veterinarians and medical doctors, especially when it came to the prevention and management of these risks. “Anybody can be infected with a zoonotic disease, whether you work with animals or not, because these diseases may be transmitted to people via inhalation, direct contact with contaminated objects, or eating food or drinking water contaminated by infected animals, [as well as through] bites from blood-sucking invertebrates like ticks, flies, mosquitoes…

South Africa needed to support emerging farmers to ignite an agricultural revolution, said President Cyril Ramaphosa at the recent African Farmers’ Association of South Africa’s (AFASA) Agribusiness Transformation Conference in Johannesburg. “We celebrate the work that has been done by AFASA to reshape agriculture; this is sending a message that there is a future in farming that warrants support from government,” said Ramaphosa. He said the number of black commercial farmers was increasing, and that this was changing the belief that black farmers were only subsistence farmers. However, they faced many challenges, including a lack of water, energy and finance. “We must expand support measures and services; provide farmers with incentives that will allow them to use new technology in order to increase their own income per hectare, [and] we…

A record number of 161 entries were received for the Absa Top 10 Pinotage Competition 2018, with the top 10 winners mostly from wine estates with solid Pinotage track records. At the awards ceremony held at Cavalli Estate near Somerset West in the Western Cape, Beyers Truter, chairperson and founder of the Pinotage Association, said winemakers were now working in harmony with their terroir, which was one of the most important elements of success. “The Pinotage Association’s vision is to get all stakeholders in sync with regards to Pinotage research, knowledge transfer and marketing. We want to double Pinotage’s contribution to the economy by the end of 2025, when Pinotage will be celebrating its centenary.” The Absa Top 10 Pinotage winners were Allée Bleue Black Series Old Vine Pinotage 2016,…

Avast amount of legislation regulates labour relations in South Africa, creating a challenging environment for employers. To ensure the sustainability and profitability of your business, labour risk needs to be managed proactively, as not following the correct procedures can lead to dire consequences, with a huge financial impact. Make sure you have the following five things in place. EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT This is the basis of the relationship between the employer and the employee, and states the terms and conditions as agreed upon. Terms and conditions of a verbal agreement cannot always be proven. Therefore, the written particulars of employment in the form of an employment contract creates clarity and certainty between the employer and the employee, and diminishes the risk of disputes arising. Employers can include additional clauses in the…

The Bosvelder was developed by crossbreeding the Pedi with the Van Rooy, White Dorper and, to a lesser degree, the Meatmaster, to produce a sheep adapted to the harsh conditions of the Limpopo bushveld (defined by tick-borne diseases such as heartwater) that could also produce a quality carcass. Selection for adaptability, hardiness, fertility, flock instinct, mothering abilities and longevity, along with improved conformation and increased weaning weight, is of paramount importance. Although the Bosvelder is not a registered breed, it is managed within the structures of the Limpopo Pedi and Bosvelder Study Group (established in 2009), currently chaired by Rudette Nel of Thabazimbi. The group holds an annual auction at Bela-Bela that in February included the first 60 Bosvelders. The top-priced Bosvelder ram, belonging to Theo Hoffman of Loskopdam, was…

According to Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries guidelines, Asparagus officinalis is adaptable to various climates but produces better quality and yields when maturing at temperatures between 16°C and 25°C. It does best in well-drained, fertile sandy loam or loam, but can also do well in heavier soils if managed appropriately. Soil depth is important, with roots penetrating 3m or deeper. Sites that retain water for more than eight hours after heavy rain should be avoided. It is also important to avoid lands where the crop has previously been cultivated, as well as to fumigate before planting to prevent diseases such as fusarium wilt or root rot. Asparagus is fairly tolerant of alkaline or high-salt soils, but is sensitive to high acidity. Preferred pH is 6 to 6,5. Lime should…

The only way to be absolutely sure that the vehicle you’re looking at is worth buying is to know its history, and that means the seller must be family or a long-standing friend. In most cases, this is not possible, with the result that most buys are risky. You can reduce the risk by doing some, or preferably all, of the following before starting to look at vehicles: • Decide which brand and model will best suit your intended usage. This will require reading car magazines as well as talking to friends, mechanics and even strangers. • Find out how trouble-free this model is by going on the Internet and typing in ‘model X problems’ to see what comes up. Even the best cars in the world will attract some…

When I read this recipe, I was not sure which direction to go in; do I choose red for the sirloin, or a crisp white to complement the marinade? Perhaps it was only luck that I attended a wine group tasting at around the same time that I was considering wines for this meal. The theme for the tasting was Zinfandel, which is a wine freshly acidic, with wild black and red berries, and often a minty or herbal note. Idiom Vineyards in Somerset West makes my favourite local version of this wine, with sweet blackberries, licorice, rosemary and mint, which matches the herbal notes of this dish perfectly. However, surprisingly, Zorgvliet’s Emagine Dry Rosé, made exclusively for Liquor City, also proved delicious with the meal, with the Cabernet Sauvignon…

Many people suffer from chronic fatigue. DC Jarvis, author of Folk Medicine, regards chronic fatigue as an early warning sign that all is not well, rather than an illness in itself. The first and most obvious sign of chronic fatigue is tiredness after a full night’s sleep. You may also have spells of deep discouragement and lose your drive, initiative and will to win. Jarvis says it is of the utmost importance to go to bed relatively early, and to spend your night in a completely dark room, with no television, cellphone or computer screen disturbing you. Jarvis recommends certified raw honey as a sedative, should you battle to fall asleep. Add three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to a cup of honey. Place the mixture in a jar next…

Former game ranger-turned-wildlife writer and photographer Mitch Reardon has worked in Namibia, Kenya and Tanzania, and also travelled to the US, England, Fiji, Singapore and Bali. His latest book WILD KAROO (Struik Nature, R270) is a lively travelogue and debate on South Africa’s environmental heart. 1. Love: My lifelong love for the African bush began when I was about six and we moved from my birthplace, Durban, to Eshowe, where we lived in the forest with blue duiker, bushbuck and bushpig, as well as mongooses raiding the chicken run. 2. Explore: As a child, I said I wanted to become a ranger, so I did, instead of practising law that I’d studied at Wits. The research journey for this book was about 4 000km. 3. Surprise: Observing and taking photographs…

New transport opportunities on rail may soon arise for grain operators, according to Alistair Christison, transport consultant from the Freight Train Co. Speaking at the recent Agbiz Grain Symposium, held in Pretoria, Christison said grain operators who were looking for more economical ways to move grain needed to look into future possibilities where rail transport would be much more affordable than road transport. “In 2017, PRASA [Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa] and Transnet Freight Rail said that regulated on-rail competition may be introduced on existing networks via qualified third-party freight transporters,” Christison said. According to him, although rail had been performing poorly over the past two decades, the ‘pendulum was swinging’, with Transnet increasing the tonnages moved on rail. Possible private operators or new Transnet services would mean grain…

AUSTRALIA Australian researchers have said that they are five steps closer to developing a new foot rot vaccine. In a Meat & Livestock Australia-funded research project between Monash University and the University of Sydney, reverse vaccinology, an approach successfully applied in human medicine, was employed to identify five potential foot rot vaccine antigen candidates. The research team hoped to shortly move on to the next step, which involved further testing and refinement of vaccine formulations. EUROPEAN UNION Households in the EU wasted more than 17 billion kilograms of fresh fruit and vegetables a year at an estimated cost of €143 billion (R2,35 tillion), an EU Joint Research Centre report said. Fresh fruit and vegetables, which made up about a third of total household food purchases, contributed to almost 50% of…

The reason cooperatives failed was not because the model was ineffective but rather because members did not share a common purpose. This was according to Ann Ngutshane, chairperson of the South African National Apex Cooperative, who was speaking at the recent African Farmers’ Association of South Africa’s Agribusiness Transformation Conference in Johannesburg. “The issue of cooperatives failing is not about the members in the project. For a project to succeed, members must be willing to cooperate. The members also need to have a common purpose,” she said. Ngutshane said the purpose of cooperatives was to create capacity in order for new farmers to have access to resources, such as funding, equipment and other inputs. However, many new farmers still did not have sufficient access to funding. “Instead of asking the…

THERE ARE MANY CASES WHERE LONGTERM CROPS ARE FARMED PROFITABLY ON LEASED LAND President Cyril Ramaphosa’s late-night announcement that the ANC would support the move to change the Constitution exposed the farce of calling for submissions about expropriation without compensation (EWC). I’ve always been confident that good sense would prevail and we’d emerge from this interminable debate about land with sensible and rational policies to handle the reform process. But I’m starting to waver. Perhaps it’s time to face the hard reality that land seizure might just happen, and we need to adapt our business strategy accordingly. Firstly, as many commentators have noted, we need to understand that the EWC brouhaha has little to do with meaningful land reform. It’s all about votes. The many good people, institutions and associations…

National Hampshire Down Champions KwaZulu-Natal Suffolk Champions Contacts: Russell Shorten 051 641 0993 or 082 783 1794 | Janine Leimer 082 491 2790 | Tjaart Steenekamp 072 313 2232 KwaZulu-Natal Suffolk Champions (continued) KwaZulu-Natal Dormer Champions Ile de France Champions Contacts: Boetie Steenekamp 082 498 0904 | Corné Els 082 456 9213 | Corné Dry 072 634 3166 Ile de France Champions (continued) KwaZulu-Natal Boer Goat Champions Contacts: Kobus Lötter 082 432 2393 | Danie Theron 082 414 2169 KwaZulu-Natal Poultry Champions Contacts: Gaylen Bettiol 083 251 7550 Suzi Anderson 082 894 7875 Tim and Elbe Nixon 082 450 4046 Jon Alison 083 660 0602 Brent Smith 084 205 9997 Lishalin Govender 082 870 6576 Colin Geddes 084 300 3079…

A key requirement for a market agent from a farmer’s point of view is the “integrity to deal with both producer and buyer in an open, friendly, honest and professional manner”, as I say in my training sessions. A successful sale requires those qualities. If an agent doesn’t have them, they’ll slip up and destroy the relationship they have with the farmer they represent and the buyers they deal with. BAD MISTAKE On the one hand, producers want to know that their agents are honest and professional, while buyers need to be comfortable with the agents for the same reason. And agents are prone to failings like any other human being. One of the worst temptations is to wrap the message on prices in an attractive package when the market…

The Lipizzaner breed dates back to 1580, when Archduke Charles II of Austria started a stud in Lipizza, a city in modern-day Slovenia. Barb and Arabian bloodlines were crossed with Baroque-type horses of Spanish and Neapolitan descent to breed light carriage and riding horses. The Spanish Riding School originated over a century later in 1729, when Emperor Charles VI commissioned the building of the Winter Riding School in Vienna. During the Second World War, the Lipizzaner stallions at the Spanish Riding School, as well as the brood mares and foals, were rescued by the US Army. The South African Lipizzaners, however, originated from a private stud owned by Count Jankovich-Beson. They were rescued from the Russian advance in 1944, and then exported to England in 1947. When the count and…

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 4 TO 6 SEPTEMBER No-Till Conference, ATKV Drakensville, Bergville. For more information, email Richard Findlay at richardfindlayntc2@gmail.com . 20 TO 21 SEPTEMBER AGRI 5 Commodities Workshop and Expo, East London Showgrounds. For more information, email info@atoneworks.co.za . 25 TO 27 SEPTEMBER 56th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa, Somerset West. For more information, visit centeqevents.wixsite.com/aeasa 2018. 9 TO 12 OCTOBER Second African Congress on Conservation Agriculture, Johannesburg. For more information, visit africacacongress.org . COURSES & TRAINING 25 TO 27 SEPTEMBER Foundations for Farming Three-Day Basic Conservation Agriculture Course, Rustfontein Farm, Bronkhorstspruit. For bookings and enquiries, email Neill Jackson at neill@foundationsforfarming.org . SHOWS & FESTIVALS 29 TO 30…

Zimbabwe has just gone through a gruelling election cycle in which Zanu-PF won an overwhelming two-thirds majority in Parliament, while its leader scraped through with only a decimal point victory. It is an election outcome that will surely have some implications for agriculture in the country particularly, and within the broader region generally. This is because Zimbabwe is one of the key import markets for grain, mostly from Zambia recently, as well as other processed agricultural products, especially from South Africa. Zimbabwe is not the same agricultural powerhouse it was before the fast-track land reform programme, which was implemented in 2000. Now, 20 years later, it remains to be seen if Zimbabwe will emerge to re-establish itself as an agricultural powerhouse. However, after examining the political manifestos of the two…

The Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank) managed to grow its gross loan book while maintaining its capital adequacy ratio at reasonable levels, and significantly strengthening its liquidity and funding positions. Speaking at the launch of the Land Bank’s Integrated Annual Report for the year ended 31 March in Johannesburg recently, Land Bank CEO, TP Nchocho, said the overall growth in the development portion of its loan book was up from 11% to 12% (R4,9 billion to R5,4 billion) in the 2017 financial year, while the overall loan book grew 5,7%. Nchocho said that during the period under review, work to improve investor confidence had yielded positive results, with the Land Bank concluding major multilateral transactions with organisations such as the German Development Bank, KfW, as…

A series of Agri-BEE sector workshops, hosted at three venues in the Free State recently, sought to clear up confusion over how stakeholders could actually get involved in the process. According to one of the organisers, Agri-BEE coordinator for the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Thabo Lephepelo, the workshops also aimed to familiarise stakeholders with the amendments to the sector code published at the end of last year. He said it was clear that commercial role players wanted to contribute towards transformation. “I can tell you there is an appetite and a will from the commercial guys,” he said. Lephepelo said the department was happy with attendance levels, with participants ranging from government role players to SOEs, municipalities and emerging farmers, community members, a few commercial farmers…

Proteins from wool can be added to the diets of animals to improve their health, New Zealand researchers have reported. According to AgResearch Institute scientists, the positive findings for the diets of domestic cats opened up exciting possibilities for new uses of sheep wool to improve digestive health for a broader range of animals, and potentially people. “There is a lot of work going on to discover new uses of wool to support the sheep industry in New Zealand,” said AgResearch science group leader for food and bio-based products, Jolon Dyer, in a statement. “The research is telling us that sheep wool has many useful attributes, and one of those now appears to be proteins derived from the wool that could be used as a dietary supplement to improve digestion…

Maize market prospects were starting to look more favourable for local producers, but high levels of local and global volatility meant that care needed to be taken when deciding on new season plantings. This was according to agricultural economist, Prof Johan Willemse, who was speaking during his recent Agricultural Markets Outlook Workshop in Bloemfontein. Willemse said that maize prices had shown some recovery in recent weeks. “For many producers, the maize price is now reaching a level where they say they can actually cover their costs,” he said. He emphasised, however, that the volatility being created by exchange rates, as well as the impact of actions taken by US President Donald Trump on global grain markets, meant that producers should not expose themselves to unnecessary risk during the year. He…

The African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA) and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries needed to collaborate to build on AFASA’s work to support black farmers in accessing markets, land, water and energy. This was according to the association’s president, Dr Vuyo Mahlati, who was speaking at the AFASA Agribusiness Transformation Conference. Mahlati said Minister of Energy Jeff Radebe had agreed that AFASA establish an energy desk. “A committee [drawn from] AFASA and the Department of Energy, [as well as Eskom], will be formed to assist farmers who have land without electricity,” she said. With regard to market access, Mahlati said the director general of the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Robert Nkuna, had suggested using an e-commerce platform to assist farmers. “We also have an offtake…

The turnout at the recent Rabbit Farmers’ Day, hosted by a new commercial rabbit farmer in Bainsvlei, Bloemfontein, was unexpectedly high. Yolandi Kruger, one of the event organisers, said she had initially expected only between 30 and 40 people to attend, and was pleasantly surprised when registrations eventually reached 120. Participants included commercial farmers, who were looking to diversify, emerging farmers, banks and financiers, who were being approached to finance rabbit farming proposals, and people with other careers who were considering a new enterprise. “It was a good combination of people: those who want to do it in the garden, in the backyard, at commercial level or for development,” she said. Kruger’s parents had begun investigating the industry in 2016, and launched a rabbit operation on their smallholding in June…

SMALL WATERBODIES HOLDING MANY INTENSIVELY FED FISH ARE UNSTABLE In last week’s article on small systems, I concluded that indoor systems have fundamental disadvantages. Taking this further, the convenience of off-the-shelf components needs examination. A neatly packaged and delivered fish-rearing system has massive appeal. Arriving in kit-form, simple to bolt together, fill with water and turn on, the system has instant consumer appeal. It shouldn’t. It puts convenience way over performance, and raises serious questions regarding scalability. Have the claimed performance and stocking densities been proved repeatedly under culture conditions? Are there teething problems, such as inadequate oxygen and filtration capacity once the fish are large and concentrated, that could result in catastrophic failure? ANOTHER LOOK AT THE FUNDAMENTALS With all-plastic systems, the inert construction allows for no buffering capacity…

It’s a bright, clear winter’s day at Daniel Maqala’s farm in Rosendal in the eastern Free State. When we arrive, his wife, Dineo, is sitting in the sun outside the shed, sifting through a hail-damaged sugar bean harvest. She’s looking for beans that will still make the grade for delivery on a contract Maqala has with the World Food Programme. This has not been an easy production season. However, through mentorship by various role players, a by-the-book approach and a willingness to put in the necessary hard work, this up-and-coming commercial grain farmer is still on track for a good yield. The son of a farmworker in Ficksburg, Maqala remembers how, after school, he would sneak off to the lands to ride on the tractor with his father. He left…

As noted last week, rodenticides should be used only as a last resort if an outbreak has to be brought under control. The following lists phosphine-type acute rodenticides. You can use zinc phosphide to prepare your own baits, or you can use ready-to-use baits. Phospine is a highly toxic gas formed when phosphide interacts with the acid in the animal’s stomach. The gas, transferred from the stomach to other organs in the body, kills the organs and eventually the animal. To make your own bait, mix 1kg of zinc phosphide with 40kg of broken maize (or roasted maize meal) and 1kg of sunflower oil. Boil the maize first to soften it, then dry it and treat with zinc phosphide powder and sunflower oil. Place the bait in plastic containers with…

A father of three has set a world record, travelling the length of Britain on a John Deere X750 ride-on lawnmower to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society UK after his father was diagnosed with the disease. The 1 400km trip took prison officer Andy Maxfield of Inskip, Lancashire, five days, eight hours and 36 minutes at an average travelling speed of 12,3km/h. His daughters, Kathryn and Kaitlyn, followed in support vehicles. Maxfield travelled for 20 hours a day, sleeping for two hours at a time in a van. “I’m very proud my record attempt was successful, but I couldn’t have done it without the encouragement of my family and support team,” he says. JOHN DEERE’S OPERATIONS CENTRE TRACKED THE ENTIRE JOURNEY “Having a great lawn tractor certainly helped.” To…

To feed six diners on a potent grilled steak, you will need: 6 thick sirloin steaks, 250g each 1 generous tomato 1 small to medium onion 1 large, green sweet pepper 6 cloves of garlic 1 bunch of fresh coriander Juice of 1 orange Juice of 2 limes 60ml of Old Brown Sherry 330ml of Windhoek Lager 30ml of extra-virgin olive oil 6 shakes of a bottle of red Tabasco 1 big red chilli 2 teaspoons of coarse salt 1 tablespoon of coarsely ground black pepper 1 This is quite a fiddly recipe, but well worth the effort. Start by preparing the marinade. Top and tail the sweet pepper. Discard the seeds, and then stir-fry without oil in a hot frying pan for 90 seconds. If you have a butane…

“Had he [Jan Smuts] been killed, I believe that our expedition into the Cape would have come to a speedy end, for there was no one else who could have kept us together.’’ These words by commando member Deneys Reitz illustrate the importance of Smuts’s leadership to the success of his legendary 250-strong commando after Smuts and a handful of his men were ambushed on the Eastern Cape farm of Moordenaarspoort on 7 September 1901. A WELCOMING PARTY The British had anticipated the entry of Smuts into the Cape and had concentrated forces in the east to contain him. When the commando crossed the Orange River on 4 September, they were attacked by the Herschel Native Police, losing four men. By the time the commando reached Moordenaarspoort three days later,…

Many modern smartphones have exceptionally good cameras. They also come with powerful processing capabilities, enabling them to perform numerous tasks almost as efficiently as a laptop. Photographs and files can, however, clutter up a smartphone, slowing it down significantly. Fortunately, many apps are available to free up space and boost a phone’s performance. One is Omni Cleaner, a powerful junk and cache cleaner that can boost the speed of a smartphone by 60%. (A ’cache’ is a component that stores data, enabling you to access the information quickly.) FEATURES Omni Clear, which can be downloaded from Google Play, can free up storage space, boost RAM, save battery life and secure private data. It has three main features: memory boost, phone cooler and junk clear. • Memory boost With one click, the…