The truth lies in the words of Alexis Soyer, 19th century French chef, when he said: "Pork - no animal is more used for nourishment and none more indispensable in the kitchen; employed either fresh or salt, all is useful, even to its bristles and its blood; it is the superfluous riches of the farmer, and helps to pay the rent of the cottager."
U bedryf is baie belangrike rolspeler in die Landbousektor, in die Wes-Kaap. Landbou is die hoof steunpilaar in die Provinsie se ekonomie, nie net om kos op die tafel te sit nie, maar in die verskaffing van werk, binne die bedryf en die gepaardgaande waardeketting.
Die Departement van Landbou in die Wes-Kaap en ekself plaas nie net baie hoë premie op goeie verhouding met u bedryf nie, maar strewe daarna om sover moontlik groot ondersteunende rol te speel ten einde u produksie op te stoot en ook om u te beskerm teen ongewenste siektes.
U is almal bewus van die krisisse wat ons die afgelope jaar beleef het, beide wat varkboere en die volstruisbedryf aanbetref. Die wyse waarop ons mekaar se hande kon vat, om uit een mond te praat om sodoende die regte besluit te kon neem wat tot voordeel van die bedryf is, behoort te dien as voorbeeld wat vermag kan word as ons saamstaan om oplossings te vind vir die uitdagings wat ons elke dag in die gesig staar.
In poging om opkomende boere te vestig en die ongelykhede van die verlede uit te wis, is die programme van die Departement grootliks op die transformasie van die Landbousektor as geheel gefokus en plaas ons baie sterk klem op die behoorlike vestiging van nuwe boere.
Die rol van kommersiële boere mag egter nooit in die proses onderskat word nie en daarom kan die belangrikheid van navorsing as ondersteuning vir kommersiële boere nooit oorbeklemtoon word nie. Ek glo dat dit die plig van die Regering is om te sorg dat ons deur navorsing aan die voorpunt bly as ons, ons markaandeel wil vergroot, ook binne u bepaalde bedryf. Navorsing en die toepassing van resultate het nie net direkte invloed op die bedryf nie, maar die ontwikkeling van die waardeketting help om ook meer werksgeleenthede te skep.
Biotechnology based scientific applications are regarded as the cutting edge frontier in many scientific fields, including agricultural production. The advancement of Biotechnology in South Africa is also a national and provincial priority.
The Western Cape is fortunate to be well endowed with knowledge based scientific institutions and is committed to enhance its status as an African knowledge and science hub.
The Western Cape Department of Agriculture has established a dedicated sub programme in the Directorate of Veterinary Services to attend to the safety of food from animal origin. The need for such a dedicated unit was triggered by increased national and international concerns on diseases of animals that could threat human health such as the outbreaks and rapid spread of Avian Influenza in poultry in Asia, Mad Cow Disease in the UK and the rest of Europe. Outbreaks of animal diseases closer to home such as the recent outbreaks of Blue Ear Disease and Salmonellosis in pigs, caused concern but we are dedicated to combat these diseases as we have done in the past, with your cooperation.
Intensified international traffic, global competitiveness and the escalating international trade in agricultural products inevitably creates a global supermarket with easy access to food from all over the world. However, the globalisation of trade in food from animal origin also increases the necessity for governments to render guarantees on safety of food for human consumption. Consumers regard government as the custodian on issues related to food safety and it was therefore for this very reason that the Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape created a sub programme dealing specifically with food safety issues.
Our main focus is on the safe production of red meat and poultry meat in the Province. The Meat Safety Act 2000 (Act 40 of 2000) serves as a basis for the activities and initiatives and defines the legal mandate.
The production of safe meat is guided by certain critical generic principles which are generally characteristic of meat safety control systems throughout the developed world and which are also supported and applied by the Department.
Chairperson I am fully aware that pork producers in the Western Cape represents 16 000 sows and that you act as a very important mouthpiece for pig producers in the Western Cape.
As an association you are playing an important role in striving to promote, serve and protect the interests of all pork producers in the area. Your efforts to promote the orderly marketing of pigs in the province and your commitment to promote mutual understanding between producers, consumers, processors and marketers of pigs and pork products can only be to the benefit of the industry and the producers.
I am thankful for the cooperation that exists between your association and the Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape and trusts that this relationship will grow to the mutual benefit of everybody concerned.
Ten slotte wil ek u bedank vir die baie belangrike rol wat u speel om toe te sien dat ons voldoen aan die internasionale standaarde deur middel van u doelwitte wat u vir uself gestel het en die dienste wat u lewer ten opsigte van opleiding, voedselsekuriteit, tegnies en aanverwante dienste. Die feit dat u organisasie op soveel forums, beide nasionaal en internasionaal verteenwoordig is, is aanduiding van die groot waarde wat u toevoeg tot die uitbou, nie net van Landbou nie, maar die ekonomie as geheel. Ek hoop dat hierdie jaarvergadering ook vir u suksesvol sal afloop.
Navrae:Alie van Jaarsveld
Spokesperson
Ministry of Agriculture: Western Cape
Tel: 021 483 4930
Fax: 021 483 3890
Email: avjaarsv@pgwc.gov.za
