This request by the provincial Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform comes after a 21-day ban on the movement of cattle was announced by the national Department of Agriculture, due to increased positive cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the country. The spokesperson for the Northern Cape department, Zandisile Luphala, says that so far the province has not reported any cases of FMD. The country is currently experiencing 116 outbreaks of FMD, involving farms, feedlots and communal areas in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Free State.

Agri SA will this week participate in the national raw water tariff consultations with the Department of Water and Sanitation to determine the cost of water for the agricultural sector. Agri SA says in a statement that these critical discussions follow the sector-specific consultation last week, and the outcome will have a significant impact on the viability of many farmers as a significant increase in the tariff could help push marginal farms to the brink of collapse. OFM News' Elsabé Richard-May reports this would in turn impact negatively on consumers as it would also contribute to more expensive food costs.

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A warning of dangerous to extremely dangerous fire conditions has been issued for the Xariep District Municipality in the Free State this week. The South African Weather Service says controlled burning is not recommended and that a careful note should be taken of any sign of smoke anywhere, especially on the upwind side of any plantation. Under these conditions, fires may develop and spread rapidly resulting in damage to property and possible loss of human and/or animal life. August winds can make firefighting difficult and the public has been urged to remain vigilant and not participate in any activities that could lead to the spread of veld fires.

OFM News