PERSPECTIVE ON THE 2019 AWARDS
The Agricultural Research Council’s National Beef Recording and
Improvement Scheme has been instrumental in enhancing the
capacity and level of performance of South Africa’s beef production
industry, and is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
Recent studies have shown that the scheme is significant, and has contributed
immensely to food security, as well as the profitability and sustainability of the
industry. The scheme’s main focus is to assist producers in recording performance
data and using associated technologies that will improve the genetic potential of
the national herd. This is of particular importance considering the country’s limited
resources and climate change, which brings about new challenges. Many farmers
have been implementing performance recording over several decades, and the
objective of the National Beef Performers Awards is thus to recognise and honour
these farmers for their efforts to improve the national herd. The ARC awards
has become one of the most prestigious events on the agriculture calendar, and
includes some of the most sought-after accolades in the beef production industry.The scheme is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Land
Reform and Rural Development, and many other stakeholders in the
industry, including Farmer’s Weekly, Molatek and GMPBasic.categoriesfor2019:
- ARCNationalSpecialPerformanceTestClass,sponsoredbythe
DepartmentofAgriculture,LandReformandRuralDevelopment; - ARCNationalBestEliteCowAwards,sponsoredbyFarmer’sWeekly;
- ARCNationalPlatinumBullAwards,sponsoredbyGMPBasic;
- ARCNationalEmergingBeefFarmeroftheYearAward,sponsoredbythe
DepartmentofAgriculture,LandReformandRuralDevelopment; - ARC National Beef Cattle Improvement Herd of the Year Award, sponsored
by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development; - ARC National Mentor of the Year Award, sponsored by Molatek;
- ARC National KyD Province of the Year Award, sponsored by Molatek.
4 farmer’sweekly 30 august 2019