Farmer's Weekly

Farmer’s Weekly is an agricultural magazine based in South Africa, targeting the whole of Southern Africa. The magazine is committed to advancing the interests of the region’s farmers and its agricultural industry by serving as a mouthpiece for the industry and by keeping its readers informed of the latest developments in the agricultural sector.

The scourge of crime in South Africa

Farmer's Weekly

South Africa has failed to deliver access to enough water for millions - a new approach is needed • Water is becoming increasingly unaffordable for impoverished households in South Africa, so government needs to embrace a human rights approach to water access, ensuring that all citizens receive enough to live a full life, writes Tracy Ledger from the Public Affairs Research Institute.

Organic products expo

New book reveals how wildlife wisdom can transform business success

MATTER OF FACT

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Second-hand ewes for meat

South Africa’s agriculture sector must prioritise self-reliance and diversified market expansion • AGRIBUSINESS PERSPECTIVE by Hamlet Hlomendlini

WEEKLY NEWS WRAP

New Plant Health Act aimed at improving agricultural trade and biosecurity • The Plant Health (Phytosanitary Act (No. 35 of 2024) repeals the Agricultural Pests Act (No. 36 of 1983). Magda du Toit spoke to industry leaders to gain their insights on the implications of the new Act.

Farmers urged to be on the lookout for Goss’s wilt

Citrus industry logistics a matter of ‘urgency’

Opportunities for SA in Peru-led China avo market

ARC donates zeolite-trial vegetables to community

Agri-Expo goes from strength to strength

Record number of entries for dairy championships

Winemaker’s ‘classrooms on wheels’ visit schools

Phase two of sugar cane master plan to kick in

Insurers collaborate to reduce risk of runaway fires

Eastern Cape livestock theft still a major problem

Eastern Cape premier outlines agri growth plans

Students chosen for global poultry programme

SA maize production viewed through a regional lens • South Africa's maize production landscape cannot be evaluated in isolation from dynamics affecting the broader regional context, according to this analysis by Absa AgriBusiness.

Outlook for dairy farmers in 2025 • The sharp increase in feed prices in 2024 resulted in weak profits for dairy farmers. Conditions will probably improve slightly during 2025, writes Dr Koos Coetzee.

BLUP values vs ‘good looks' • In this article, Louis Steyl, CEO of the breeders' society Bonsmara SA, explains why farmers should buy bulls based on both BLUP values and conformation, without prioritising either factor.

2025 BONSMARA AUCTION LIST

How the Bonsmara changed the trajectory of beef cattle breeding in SA and beyond • The Bonsmara is a South African breed that was bred to thrive under African conditions, says Louis Steyl, CEO of the breeders' society Bonsmara SA. He spoke to Annelie Coleman about the origins of the breed and the value it has added to sustainable and profitable beef production on a global level.

Advice for aspiring farmers • Louis Steyl, CEO of Bonsmara SA, offers some advice to prospective farmers about how to go about setting up a cattle farm for future success, and stresses the importance of establishing a solid foundation.

Advancing the use of integrated pest management in crop production • Experts in integrated pest management are gaining importance as fruit-importing countries tighten their phytosanitary regulations. Nadine Botha, technical and commercial manager at Insectec, spoke to Magda du Toit about her journey from growing up in a small mining town to taking on a leading role in the field.

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