Farmer's Weekly 25 November 2022

In mid-October, it was announced by some news sources in that country that the US only had enough diesel reserves for 25 days. This came on the back of a limited supply of diesel on the global market, as well as reduced refinery capacity in the US. But really, the oil crisis started back in 2016, when the US began drilling for more oil in light of higher global prices. However, as more oil became available on the market, its price dropped. Then in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and lockdowns were imposed around the world, oil prices fell even further as demand declined. In response to the drop in price, Russia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries Plus (OPEC+), an organisation that represents some of the world's biggest…

BY INVITATION “The degree of success of the land reform programme will be determined by the level of private-sector participation and the political will to expeditiously address the challenges that plague it. This will, among other things, require the implementation of the recommendations detailed in several reports, including the High-Level Panel Report, often referred to as the Motlanthe Report, as well as the Presidential Panel Report on Land Reform. BARRIERS TO LAND REFORM The challenges facing the land reform programme include, but are not limited to the following: • Addressing corruption; • Dealing with dysfunctional and inept communal property associations that require targeted support; • Insufficient post-settlement support for beneficiaries; • The state's lack of capacity to implement its programmes; • Fragmented approaches to land reform by various government departments; • Poor monitoring and…

23 November (online) The Agricultural Research Council's (ARC) National Beef Performers Awards recognise the innovation and excellence demonstrated by South African beef cattle producers who keep the national herd in top form. The awards will showcase outstanding performance in seven categories, measuring a range of reproductive and breeding values. As always, Farmer's Weekly will be sponsoring the ARC Elite Cow category, which promotes the top beef cows in the country. Visit arc.agric.za/Documents/BannerPdfs/ARC_Beef7%20Performers_FP_SF_1022.pdf. CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND EXPOS 24 TO 25 NOVEMBER Drones and Unmanned Aviation Conference 2022, Emperors Palace. Email info@bussynet.co.za. COURSES AND TRAINING 5 TO 9 DECEMBER Academy Poultry Module, George. Email Rothman Livestock and Training, Services at office@RLTSafrica.com. 7 TO 9 DECEMBER Basic Goat Production, Groenkloof, Pretoria. Email karabo@mathema.co.za. 9 DECEMBER Calf Rearing, Gauteng. Email Rothman Livestock and Training Services at office@RLTSafrica.com. 9 TO 14 DECEMBER Commercial Mushroom Substrate Design, Cultivation, Marketing and Business Planning (online). Visit mushroomacademy.com, or email registration@mushroomacademy.com. 31…

The first participants in the Momentum Metropolitan Women in Farming programme recently graduated from the first phase of the programme, which covered training in areas such as mental wellness and analysis, poultry and vegetable farming, as well as soil fertility and plant nutrition. The programme, launched in 2021, is a three-year incubator aimed at enhancing the skills of young black women farmers. At the end of the three years, having qualified as contracted traders, the participants will be invited to become part of the Pietermaritzburg Agri network, where they will be exposed to new market-access opportunities, thereby enabling them to grow their enterprises. -Momentum Metropolitan Holdings…

Hi Farmer's Weekly, I have made a seed planter from offcuts of 25mm PVC pipe, which work perfectly for my seed-sowing projects. At the base of the planter, I've added a stainless-steel Jubilee Clip to act as a cutting tool for making holes in the soil if a trench hasn't been dug beforehand. It also strengthens the base, and the depth is perfect for most seeds. There are also four detachable pipes to allow for different spacing between seeds of various sizes. - Natalie Rowles, Pinetown, via email GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? Send your letters to: farmersweekly@caxton.co.za, or Farmer's Weekly, PO Box 1797, Pinegowrie 2123, SA. The views and opinions expressed on the letters page do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer's Weekly or Caxton. Readers' letters will be published and edited at the…

1911 5 October 1966 Herewith, the second instalment in a two-part series which looks at an article that covered an investigation into the effects of the crossbreeding of poultry breeds on various factors. We continue with the breeding procedure. Four cockerels, one from each source wire selected at random for each breeding pen. A fifth was randomly selected from one of the sources for each breeding. A record was kept of the individual egg production of the hens, and three consecutive settings of eggs were collected and incubated in a forced-draught incubator The chickens were reared under identical conditions. At the age of 16 weeks, the pullets were transferred to a laying house. From the first two batches, 50 pullets each were randomly selected and allocated to the different divisions of the laying house. They…