By Pieter van der Merwe, Rock Environmental Consulting (Pty) Ltd.

Environmental legislation has gained the reputation of frequently changing and of becoming somewhat complicated. The challenges South Africa is facing in protecting its environment sustainably are present in all sectors of the South African economy. In the agricultural sector, the pork industry is no exception.  However, working and being involved in this field during the course of the previous 12 years or more, tends to shave off the sharp ends and one tends to simplify or rationalise matters more easily – but with caution. It remains obvious that each proposed development site has its unique environmental setting, characteristics, predictability and unpredictability.
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As die grootste gedeelte van die wêreldbevolking vegetariërs raak, sal dit nie ‘n wesenlike bydrae lewer om die las op die natuurlike hulpbronne te verlig nie. Dr Heinz Meissner, ‘n privaatkonsultant, het kommentaar gelewer op ‘n navorsingstuk wat deur dr Marco Springmann en kollegas van die Oxford Universiteit gepubliseer is oor die uitwerking op menslike gesondheid, sowel as die omgewing, as die meeste mense op aarde hulle dieet sou aanpas van ‘n vleis-gebaseerde dieet na ‘n vegetariese dieet.
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Vincent ter Beek, Pigs Progress

As might have been expected, the recent publication of the World Health Organisation (WHO), which stated that processed meat causes cancer, has evoked a wide range of different opinions. The report, released by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), classified processed meat in the category “carcinogenic to humans”, whereas consumption of red meat was “probably carcinogenic to humans”. Continue Reading →

Deur Flip Opperman

Ons het onlangs verneem dat Eskom se tariewe vir die 2015/2016 finansiële jaar met 12,69% gaan styg. Wat is die werklike impak van hierdie styging op boerderybedrywighede? Hoe gaan koolstof-belasting, wat op 1 Januarie 2016 in werking tree, die landbou beïnvloed? Gaan dit nog ’n verhoging in energiekoste veroorsaak? Is ’n boerdery met sulke kostestygings nog lewensvatbaar en winsgewend?

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SAPPO’s quality assurance system, Pork 360, is a guarantee to the consumer and retailing sector that the producer has a consistent production process that complies with minimum standards and ensures high quality pork. Producers participate in the system by choice.
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By Simon Streicher, CEO of SAPPO

SAPPO is however concerned this will be missed by emerging farmers who can’t pay the costs. SAPPO has welcomed the final publication of two National Standards by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) but has warned the regulations may not be accessible to emerging farmers. The two National Standards are: “Humane handling and facilities for the protection of livestock at shows, auction sales, vending sites and livestock pounds” and “Humane transportation of livestock by road”.

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