Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Anina Hunter of Epol Feeds was re-elected as chairperson of the Animal Feed Manufacturers Association (AFMA), while Michael Schmitz from Meadow Feeds was re-elected as vice-chairperson at the 77th AFMA AGM held at Cathedral Peak Hotel. Two new members, Ruan Stander of Meadow Feeds and Francois du Toit of Nova Feeds, were elected to the board of directors.
During the proceedings, AFMA made three awards. Dr Vlok Ferreira received the Technical Person of the Year Award for his contributions to the industry. Dr Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agbiz, was awarded Person of the Year for his contributions to the industry. Chris Schutte, CEO of Astral Foods, received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for his long-standing contributions, visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to the agricultural industry.
Read more about the AFMA Intervarsity Writer’s Cup here.
In the closing session of the AGM, keynote speakers Dr Sihlobo and Chris Schutte addressed the attendees. Dr Sihlobo discussed the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and other countries (BRICS) intergovernmental organisation developments, macro-economic conditions, and South African agricultural policy considerations under the GNU. He emphasised several key points:
- BRICS is worth the trouble, as South Africa’s export-oriented agricultural sector must consistently search for markets. China, India, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia must be the priority markets.
- From a domestic policy side, the focus should be on the implementation of Operation Vulindlela.
- In agriculture, relentless implementation of the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan and Poultry Master Plan is essential.
- The release of state land, paired with blended finance is vital and the government must act on this issue.
- Continuous partnership with government, commodity associations, and researchers is vital in supporting new entrant producers-
- The revitalisation of various municipalities and rural roads to support agriculture is key with road-to-rail being part of the process.
Chris Schutte, in his acceptance speech for the Lifetime Achievement Award, shared his philosophy that life is a do-it-yourself project. He emphasised that while there are people that support you, how you face the challenges is entirely up to you.
“The fact that you carry a heavy load in life is not the issue,” he said. “Everybody is carrying a heavy load. The key is how you carry that load.” He went on to say that when one consistently does something right, it becomes a habit. This is true in business, but most definitely also in life. – Izak Hofmeyr, Plaas Media
