The 2021 leg of the Santam Agriculture National Silage Competition officially opened for entries on 1 January this year and follows hot on the heels of the 2020 competition which featured more than 80 entries, despite difficulties relating to the Covid-19 pandemic. This year’s leg of the competition is the eighth of its kind.
The competition aims to provide all entrants with a detailed, individualised report on the quality of the silage they entered. The categories in which entries are allowed are maize, sorghum, and oats (bunkers or bags can be entered for all categories). In 2020 a test category was added for silage bales. This category will again be included as a trial run in the 2021 competition.
Much of the success of the competition can be ascribed to the involvement of various sponsors. The sponsorships for 2021 have all been secured and it is an honour to announce the companies that are on board this year.
Main sponsor
Santam Agriculture has been part of the competition since its inception and has been the main sponsor every year. They are well-known throughout the country as a reliable provider of various agricultural insurance products and services.
Sample testing laboratory
Labworld, a division of Philafrica Foods, has been contracted to conduct sample testing since 2019, but this year decided to sponsor a portion of this service. Labworld specialises in analysing animal feed with the object of compiling detailed reports which consider the overall quality of feed.
Sampling equipment sponsor
Claas/Kempston Agri are joining the competition this year for the first time. Claas/Kempston Agri are agricultural machinery suppliers both in South Africa and internationally, and will be sponsoring the equipment used during the sampling process.
Prize sponsors
Pannar Seed is a well-known seed supplier in the agricultural industry, and is also known for its maize, sorghum, and oats cultivars used in silage production. This will be the fourth year that Pannar Seed acts as a prize sponsor.
Kemin Industries joined the competition in 2020 and we are happy to announce their return. Kemin’s main focus is to produce high-quality nutritious and safe animal feed for various species.
Strapping & Profile has been a part of the competition since 2018. Their business is concerned with packaging materials and, together with Rani Plast in Finland, they distribute silage bags, sheets, and other relevant silage materials in South Africa.
Nutribase is an importer, supplier, and distributor of feed additives for the animal feed industry, and supplies and distributes silage inoculants in South Africa. This is the third year they are taking part in the competition as a prize sponsor.
Hurwitz Farming is entering their second year as a prize sponsor. Hurwitz is a farming business based in Mpumalanga and their services include a professional silage production arm, Greenstar Contracting.
New sponsorship opportunities
Towards the end of October 2021 Plaas Media will be announcing structured sponsorship opportunities that will allow more companies to become part of this very successful competition. Current sponsors will be given first opportunity and first right of refusal, after which formal applications will be accepted for sponsorships. The prerequisite will be that companies must participate actively by entering clients/producers in the competition. More details will follow once the process is announced.
To find out more about the sponsors, why they are involved, and what they sponsored in the 2020 competition, watch the 2020 Santam Agriculture National Silage video on Plaas TV below.
For more information regarding the competition, contact Deidré Louw on 066 231 2430 or email deidre@plaasmedia.co.za. – Deidré Louw, Stockfarm
