Copy
Welcome to the September 2018 issue of the Red Meat Producers Organisation's Newsletter
View this email in your browser

Statutory Levy approved

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries approved the continuation of the proposed statutory measures in the South African red meat industry for a period of two years until 4 November 2020.
 
The minister approved that the levy be spent as follows :-
  • 70% of the total income must be spent on generic functions relating to consumer assurance, consumer education, research and development, liaison and production development.
  • No more than 10% must be spent on administration costs.
  • At least 20% must be spent on transformation.
Read more ...

Red meat levies payable


The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced that the following levies (VAT excluded) are imposed in respect of designated animals, red meat and red meat products, hides and skins and processed pork :-
 
Cattle:
  • R6.24 per head to be deducted and retained from the selling price of each designated animal by any buyer of such animal.
  • R10.40 per head payable by the owner at slaughter, to the abattoir who slaughters such animal. The abattoir shall be liable to collect such levy from the owner and pay it over to the Levy Administrator.
Read more ...

Service provider needed


The National Animal Health Forum in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the committee on livestock identification and traceability system in South Africa (LITS SA) are seeking to appoint a qualified and extensively experienced service provider(s) to develop an evidence-based implementation/business plan of action for the LITS SA operational policy framework.
 
The service provider(s) will also be required to assist the NAHF, DAFF and the LITS SA Committee in implementing the terms of reference set out by the LITS SA Committee.
 
Simplicity, sustainability and cost efficiency should be the main guiding principles for the design of the LITS implementation plan.
 
The LITS SA TOR and Operational Policy Framework document can be accessed from http://www.daff.gov.za/vetweb/Animal%20Identification/LITS%20SA%20Policy%20final%202018.pdf

RMIF elects new office bearers


Koos van der Ryst (RPO) has been elected as the new chairman of the Red Meat Industry Forum (RMIF) in the place of Dave Ford, who has stepped down, at its annual general meeting which recently took place in Pretoria.
   
Kabols le Riche (Red Meat Abattoir Association) was elected as vice-chairman in the place of Tim Davidson. Other members of the management committee are David Osborne (SAPPO), Aggrey Mahanjana (NERPO), Gerhard Schutte (RPO) and Georg Southey (Association of Meat Importers and Exporters).
  
Tim Davidson (National Federation of Meat Traders) was re-elected as chairman of the Compliance Committee.  Andrew Cocks (SAMPA) and Barry Swart (Independent Financial Advisor) were re- elected as the Levy Committee.
  
Dave Ford has resigned as executive director of SAFA and has stepped down as chairman of the Forum, but has agreed to a spell as consultant to the Forum.

New specification for processed meat products announced


The Minister of Trade and Industry published a draft compulsory specification for processed meat products.
 
It applies to the handling, preparation, processing, packaging, refrigeration, freezing, chilling, labelling, marking and storage of high risk processed meat products covered in the scope of SANS 885 and it includes the microbiological and compositional requirements of these products.
  
The requirements for canned meats, raw boerewors, species sausages, mixed species sausages, poultry and red meat which are untreated or treated in such a way that the product still looks like a normal raw carcass, cut, portion or pieces (whether fresh or frozen) are excluded from this compulsory specification.

The way forward for the goat industry


The meat goat working group released a summary review of the goat industry with recommendations for the way forward.
 
As far as marketing is concerned, it is recommended that niche markets are established by the different breeders’ associations. The national RPO was requested to create a website link that can be sent to all role players to add on their websites. It will contain relevant information on goat production.
Read more ...

How to handle unlawful occupation of land


Agri SA compiled an information document on how to deal with unlawful occupation of land.
 
A clear distinction must be made between unlawful access to property and “squatting” in the normal course of events on the one hand and a sudden and orchestrated invasion of property by people on the other hand.  In the case of a sudden and orchestrated occupation of property, swift and determined action must be taken against the people concerned. This will require the participation of all role players.  
Read more ...

Confusion about expropriation


There seems to be some confusion about expropriation and how it takes place. Agri SA released an information document in an attempt to clarify some of this confusion.
 
Section 25(2) of the Constitution regulates expropriation.  This section provides as follows: “Property may be expropriated only in terms of law of general application
 
  1. for a public purpose or in the public interest; and
  2. subject to compensation, the amount of which and the time and manner of payment of which have either been agreed by those affected or decided or approved by a court.”
Read more ...

Beware of Urea poisoning


Every month there are reports of urea poisoning. Be aware when feeding this product that the correct concentration is used and that the lick does not get wet.
 
According to the monthly report on livestock disease trends as informally reported by veterinarians belonging to the Ruminant Veterinary Association of South Africa (RuVASA), the following diseases were reported during the past month :-
Read more ...

Perspective 

A comparison of high utilization and controlled selective grazing over four years.

Grazing management methodologies and procedures again surfaced with debates about perceived and evidence-based benefits of high utilization grazing (HUG). Various other terms and variations to the HUG principle are also in the agricultural press, with high density but quick rotation becoming increasingly popular. As many reports are largely anecdotal and not supported by experimental evidence, the authors cited below initiated work on a beef cattle experimental farm of the ARC at Roodeplaat, north of Pretoria.  The veld is typically Sourish Mixed Bushveld. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of HUG and controlled selective grazing (CSG) on veld condition over a four-year period (2011/2012 – 2014/2015).   
Read more ...
Share
Tweet
Forward

Auctions for September 2018

Public comments awaited on VAT


The Minister of Finance released on 10 August 2018 the report by the independent panel on the review of the current list of items that are zero-rated for VAT purposes for public comment to vatsubmissions@treasury.gov.za.
 
These recommendations are subject to further public comment, including comments to be made during Parliamentary hearings. Taking the recommendations and the public comments, as well as the evaluation of the recommendations by National Treasury and the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the Minister of Finance will then decide which of the panel’s recommendations to implement.

KOMGA Farmers’ Association to meet


A Komga Farmers’ Association meeting with the theme land expropriation without compensation will be hosted on 7 November at Mtwentwe Farm, Haga Haga, Eastern Cape Wild Coast.
 
The key note speaker will be Roelf Meyer, chief negotiator in the multiparty negotiating forum with Cyril Ramaphosa; Minister in the F.W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela governments and co-founder of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) with General Bantu Holomisa.
 
Fanie Brink, an independent agricultural economist, advisor and mentor with more than 40 years’ experience in the agricultural industry of South Africa, will be one of the other speakers.

National Animal Health Forum's structure formalised


During the inaugural meeting of the National Animal Health Forum NPC (NAHF) where its organisational structure was finalised, Dr Pieter Vervoort was appointed as managing director, while Gerhard Schutte was elected as the interim chairman.
  
Dr Pieter Vervoort, a well-known pig veterinarian, was the chairman since 2009 and Schutte is the Chief Executive Officer of the Red Meat Producers' Organisation (RPO). The other directors are Dr Charlotte Nkuna, President of the South African Veterinary Association (SAVA), Johann Kotzé,  (SAPPO), Dr Ziayanda Majokweni, the South African Poultry Association (SAPA) and Nico van Aardt, Director of Bethlehem Agri as an independent non-executive director.
Read more ...

Difficult times for the leather industry


The current situation in the leather industry is very different to the previous crises it has gone through, but there is the possibility of “fundamental change” in 2019, according to the latest edition of our exclusive Leather Pipeline market intelligence report.
 
Even the most experienced pundits cannot remember a time when the industry had to deal with so many problems at the same time. The big difference this time is that the main problem is not a fall in general consumption. This time, there is no issue of insufficient demand for finished products; instead, the problem is directly related to the use of leather as a material. The harsh reality is that leather production is shrinking due to falling demand, which has caused a build-up of material stocks across the world.
Read more ...

Good wool prices realised


According to a seasonal overview of the South African wool clip for the 2017/2018 wool season, it has been one of the best years in terms of price.
 
As far as production is concerned, total receipts decreased to 48,9 m/kg, a decrease of 6,6% on 2016/17. The Eastern Cape remains the top wool-producing province, delivering 17,5 million kg, or 36%, of total receipts, followed by the Free State with 8,5 m/kg (17%), and the Western Cape with 7,5 m/kg (15%).
Read more ...

BFAP outlook presented


The BFAP agricultural outlook for the period 2018 to 2027 has been presented in Pretoria.
 
According to the outlook, agriculture’s contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) peaked in 2017. It did not only created a positive period for exports, but also contributed to the fact that the intensive livestock sectors managed to be more productive.
 
It is expected that the agricultural GDP will decline sharply in 2018 because of the impact of the drought in the Western Cape as well as diseases such as Listeriosis on the meat markets.
Read more ...

International beef market under pressure


Internationally, plentiful supplies of red meat are weighing on the meat market, according to ABSA Agri Trends.
 
Locally, beef prices may gain support from increased uptake during the end of the month. Beef prices are expected to recover in the next few weeks due to better demand as warmer temperatures are approaching.
Read more ...

Sheep meat prices still strong


Internationally, strong international demand for lamb and mutton continue to support prices, according to ABSA Agri Trends.
 

Locally, the industry is expected to continue to benefit from high meat and wool prices. Meat prices may gain support on the back of increased demand during month end.
Read more ...

Lamb and Mutton SA celebrates Heritage month with “Township Cuisine”


September, also known to some as “Braai Month”, is Heritage month! During this month South Africans are encouraged to celebrate their own heritage, but also the fact that we live in such a culturally rich country.

This Heritage Month, Lamb and Mutton SA wants to ensure that lamb is the star of the show at two heritage month events. First up is the Shisanyama festival that kicks off on the 31st of August with the Shisanyama Indaba in Umlazi.
Read more ...
Download the latest Red Meat Magazine here
Download the PMF newsletter here ...
Copyright © 2016 Red Meat Producers Organisation, All rights reserved. 

Our mail address:
PO Box 132
Persequor Park
0020


Our website is:
www.rpo.co.za
 
Please note this is not junk. This is the newsletter of the RPO 
Cancel subscription | update information 






This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
Red Meat Producers Organisation · 318 The Hillside · Lynnwood · Pretoria, GP 0204 · South Africa