In Humansdorp, the team visits Rosenhof Farm, where owners, brother and sister Jacobus and Maizie Vermaak talk about how they manage farming with 1230 dairy cows and 450 beef cows. Maizie says the farm employs 26 people and they have launched successful training and development programmes. “We’re also involved in the very successful Rheebok Rand Dairy Development Trust, which is a black empowerment farm aimed at old and young farmers in the community.”
The camera also ventures into the Coega Dairy and has a look at the processing facilities which also produce dairy products other than milk. It then looks at the involvement and impact the Dairy Industry has on the local community.
Kouga Municipality Portfolio Manager, Brenton Williams, gets lyrical about the tourism attractions in the region including the world renowned J-Bay (Jeffreys Bay) surf tourism. “This is the highest density dairy farming region in South Africa and together with tourism, these two activities are the main economic drivers in the area,” says Brenton.
As usual agri-fundi and Landbouweekblad Editor in Chief, Chris Burgess, joins co-host Rozanne McKenzie to provide more insight into the industry. Chris explains why the expression “running a dairy farm is like being in a prison with no bars” is used to describe this “tough” industry in which “the cows have to be milked twice a day”.
Did you know that a particular breed of cow, which we have in South Africa, can produce 100 litres of mild a day at the peak of its lactation period? To find out which breed it is, tune in to the show!
Mpumelelo Mkhabela talks to Chris van Dijk, CEO of the Milk Producers Organisation about the state of the dairy industry. “Despite the number of milk producers going down from 12 000 in 1980 to 1680 today, milk production has actually increased,” says Chris. Chris also talks about transformation in the industry, the record number of litres produced last year, and the percentage of the consumer price earned by the producer.
For all this and a whole lot more, don’t miss this engaging episode of Nation in Conversation.
Business Day TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njf4eJh_eD0
Soweto TV: https://youtu.be/y3IzV2fqlCI
Proudly sponsored by Monsanto, Nedbank and Senwes, in association with AFGRI, Hinterland and NWK.
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