MPO Bulletin 13 April 2018
The National Minimum Wage Bill and the Basic Conditions of Employment Amendment Bill jointly seek to transition South Africa from sectoral wage determinations towards a single minimum wage applicable to all industries in South Africa. These Bills are currently under discussion at the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Labour.
Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant stated that implementing the national minimum wage by 1 May 2018 will not be possible. According to the minister the delay was due to the fact that Parliament will not be able to finalise the Bills before then.
“We are aware that interested parties have been making submissions on these Bills and it has become apparent that the ambition for the National Minimum Wage Bill to become law by 1 May 2018 may not be practical given the high volumes of public submissions both written and orally,” the minister said. “It is for these reasons that it may not be possible to conclude all these processes in time for implementation on 1 May 2018 as initially envisaged. The 1 May 2018 implementation ambition has always been subject to the completion of parliamentary processes,” she added. – SAnews.gov.za
Kollig op die MPO 3P Metric
Barbara Bieldt, die MPO se bestuurder vir markontwikkeling en regulatoriese dienste, het in ’n onderhoud op Landbou Radio ’n oorsig gegee van die MPO se instrument, die MPO 3P Metric, wat ontwikkel is om volhoubaarheidsaanwysers op melkplase te meet binne die MPO se drie strategiese pilare. –. Om uit te vind wat die MPO 3P Metric is en wat dit vir die melkprodusent beteken, klik HIER.
Lightning kills 64 cows
Rufus Dreyer, dairy farmer in the Oyster Bay region in the Eastern Cape and former MPO board member, recently suffered significant losses when 64 of his dairy cows, at different stages of lactation, were killed by lightning. The cows supplied about 1 250 litres of milk per day and the loss of income from potential production is estimated at between R700 000 and R800 000. The replacement cost of the cows is not included in this amount.
Hoe word die MPO se voermandjie saamgestel?
Philip Swart, bestuurder vir produsentedienste van die MPO, het in ’n onderhoud op Landbou Radio verduidelik wat die doel van die MPO se voerkoste-indeks oftewel die voermandjie is en hoe dit saamgestel word. Om na die onderhoud te luister, klik HIER.
Global dairy prices lower
Global dairy prices decreased again at the Global Dairy Trade auction held on 3 April 2018 following indications that New Zealand’s production levels are slowly recovering. New Zealand supply to international markets was significantly limited by drought conditions.
Fonterra reported a 2% decline in New Zealand’s output volume in February, compared with a 5% decline in January.
The Global Dairy Trade Price Index decreased by 0,6%, with an average selling price of $3,477/t. To read more, click HERE and HERE.
Average weighted price US$/t
All products -0,6% 3,477
WMP 1,6% 3,278
SMP -1,8% 1,849
Butter 4,1% 5,494
AMF -7,0% 5,806
Cheddar 2,2% 3,679
Suksesvolle boeredae in die Wes-Kaap
Die MPO Wes-Kaap het in Maart drie boeredae in onderskeidelik Durbanville, Riversdal en George gehou. Dit is baie goed ondersteun en goeie interaksie het plaasgevind tussen die produsente, plaaslike bestuurslede, borge en personeel van die MPO-hoofkantoor in Pretoria. Dr. Chris van Dijk, uitvoerende hoof van die MPO, het die boeredae begin met ’n opsomming oor dit waarmee die MPO besig is. Daneel Rossouw, streeksbestuurder by Nedbank, het gepraat oor grondhervorming en onteiening asook oor die Nasionale Kredietwet (34 van 2005). Hy het ’n beroep op boere gedoen om meer betrokke te raak by georganiseerde landbou.
Christine Leighton, projekbestuurder van Melk SA se verbruikersopvoedingsprojek, het in haar aanbieding meer lig gewerp op die generiese bemarking van melk met spesifieke verwysing na die gebruik van die media. Prof. Louw Hoffman van Universiteit Stellenbosch se aanbieding het gehandel oor dierewelsyn en die vyf vryhede waarop diere geregtig is. Dr. Barry van Houten van Zoetis het die boeredae afgesluit met ’n aanbieding oor die voorkoms van mastitis en die periodes waartydens die beste behandeling toegepas kan word. Die MPO bedank al die borge, sprekers en produsente wat bygedra het om van die dag ’n sukses te maak.
VL stig unieke ondersteuningsnetwerk vir landbouers
’n Nuwe en unieke ondersteuningsnetwerk vir landbouers in die Vrystaat is onlangs gestig. Volgens Gerhard Kriel, hoof- uitvoerende beampte van Vrystaat Landbou (VL), is die doel van die stigting van Vriende van Vrystaat Landbou om ‘n ondersteuningsnetwerk daar te stel.
VL wil daarmee die publiek, wat nie noodwendig direk by landbou betrokke is nie, bewus maak van die omstandighede waarin landbouers werk en ’n netwerk vestig waardeur geld en kundigheid tot die organisasie se ledenetwerk beskikbaar gestel kan word. Dit word dan tot voordeel van landbouers gebruik en om hulle, in krisistye, by te kan staan.
“Ons uiteindelike doel hiermee is om Vriende van Vrystaat Landbou uit te brei na ’n nasionale inisiatief, naamlik Vriende van Landbou, sodat alle landbouers in Suid-Afrika hierby baat kan vind,” sê Kriel. “Ons het reeds samesprekings met ander organisasies in georganiseerde landbou gevoer. Vrystaat Landbou sal ’n leidende rol speel om ander te help om soortgelyke inisiatiewe van die grond af te kry om lede in ander provinsies tot voordeel te wees en te ondersteun.” Mediaverklaring. Om meer te lees, klik HIER.
Skeduleer jou melkplaasopleiding nou
Helene Pheiffer, bestuurder van die MPO-opleidingsinstituut, rig ’n versoek aan melkprodusente om hul melkplaasopleiding so gou moontlik te skeduleer. Die MPO-opleidingsinstituut is besig om sy skedule van opleidingskursusse by te werk. Die kursusse, waarvan sommige deel uitmaak van Melk SA se projekte, is gerig op melkplaaswerkers, -toesighouers en -bestuurders. Klik HIER vir besonderhede oor die opleidingsprogramme wat aangebied word. Kontak Chantel Joubert by 012 843 5747 of stuur ‘n e-pos aan chantel@mpo.co.za.
Introducing the “Legenda(i)ry” board game
The MPO Training Institute is excited to introduce the Legenda(i)ry board game, which is an alternative training method based on the Dairy Standard Agency’s Code of Practice for Milk Producers. Legenda(i)ry was developed with the aim of training farmworkers to maintain the integrity of the milk on the farm effectively and to manage the supply chain correctly. The board game engages the participants in dairy standards for product composition and food safety, animal health, animal feed, dairy parlour hygiene, transporting milk, processing facilities and conservation. The MPO plans to give an award to the best dairy farm team based on the results of the board game at the end of 2018.
Maak nader kennis met die Legenda(i)ry-bordspel
Die bestuurder van die MPO-opleidingsinstituut, Helene Pheiffer, het in ’n TV-onderhoud wat op KykNET se program, Grootplaas, uitgesaai is, verduidelik uit watter komponente die Legenda(i)ry-bordspel bestaan en geïllustreer hoe die alternatiewe opleidingsmetode in die praktyk gebruik word. Om na dié interessante video te kyk, klik HIER.
Opvolgbeplanning: Beplan betyds, nugter en deurdag
Sedert 1994 het nuwe geleenthede, uitdagings en omstandighede die Sarahsrivier Boerdery en die La Montanara-kaasfabriek naby Ashton in die Wes-Kaap al telkens genoop om veranderings en aanpassings te maak. In 1994 het Eckard Leicher (nou 56), besturende direkteur, opgehou om melk vir ’n melkkoper te produseer en sedertdien het hy sy La Montanara-kaasfabriek stapsgewys uitgebou. Tans produseer dié suksesvolle familie-onderneming 90 t spesialiteitskase per maand. Om verder te lees, blaai na bladsy 32 van die April-uitgawe van The Dairy Mail. Om die digitale weergawe van The Dairy Mail te lees, besoek www.agriconnect.co.za.
Put your knowledge of milk production trends to the test and stand a chance to win. SMS your projection of milk production for February 2018 to Bertus van Heerden, the MPO’s manager of agricultural economic services, at 083 300 300 3667 to enter this month’s competition.
MPO-strategie: Fokus op dierewelsyn en watergebruik
Dr. Chris van Dijk, uitvoerende hoof van die MPO, het in ‘n onderhoud op Landbou Radio inligting gedeel oor die fokuspunte van die MPO se strategie rakende dierewelsyn en watergebruik op ’n melkplaas. Om na die interessante onderhoud te luister, klik HIER.
Gases from slurry ponds can be lethal
Kelley Donham, a veterinarian and professor emeritus of Agricultural Medicine at the University of Iowa, says anaerobic conditions in manure storage lead to the creation of potentially hazardous gases. In addition to hydrogen sulphide, methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia, more than 160 other gases are created.
“Agitation creates a release of these gases and they can go to lethal levels in a very short time,” says Prof. Donham.
Prof. Donham cautions farmers to be aware of this potential danger and stay clear of areas downwind of open manure storage and lagoons when manure is being agitated (stirred). The danger is higher on calm days when gas can settle into deadly clouds, he says. All humans and animals on the farm need to be kept well away from slurry ponds to ensure their safety. To read more, click HERE.
After the successful launch of The Dairy Mail Stewardship Awards in 2017, The Dairy Mail is again inviting nominations for 2018. In keeping with the strategic goal of the MPO, sustainable dairy farming for everyone, we believe that good stewardship should be recognised and rewarded. If you know a dairy farmer who is the epitome of a good dairy steward, nominate him or her in the second annual The Dairy Mail Stewardship Awards competition.
See you at the #SACheeseFest
Visitors to the 17th South African Cheese Festival can once again expect a truly unique experience involving cheese in all its facets. Come and taste a dazzling variety of cheeses, pair your favourites with wine and the finest local produce, and relax with family and friends. The award-winning #SACheeseFest, the biggest outdoor culinary event in South Africa, will be held over three days at Sandringham, from Friday, 27 April (Freedom Day) to Sunday, 29 April 2018. Entertainment includes outstanding music, presentations by celebrity chefs and artisanal cheesemakers, as well as fun activities for kids and teens such as a cheese-carving competition.
For more information, contact Agri-Expo at 021 975 4440 or admin@agriexpo.co.za. To read more, click HERE.
Vrywaring: Alhoewel die MPO Melkbulletin saamgestel word uit bronne wat as betroubaar beskou word, neem die uitgewers geen verantwoordelikheid vir aksies of verliese wat weens die gebruik van hierdie inligting mag ontstaan nie.
Chief Executive / Uitvoerende Hoof
Manager: Market Development and Regulatory Services / Bestuurder: Markontwikkeling en Regulatoriese Dienste
Economist / Ekonoom
Manager: Producer Services / Bestuurder: Produsentedienste