“We must urgently break the state monopoly over the foot-and-mouth disease crisis so that vaccines can be placed in the hands of farmers immediately. Farmers must be allowed to vaccinate as quickly as possible to curb the uncontrolled spread of…
Free State Agriculture (FSA) expresses its shock over two farm attacks that took place in the Free State this past weekend. In the first incident, a 72-year-old female farmer, who farms alone in the Bultfontein area, was overtaken and assaulted…
Despite the best efforts of state veterinarians on the ground, leader farmers and commodity organizations urging their members to cooperate with the state and comply to regulations, the unprecedented spike in Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) cases over the festive…
As the festive season approaches, crime trends in the Free State — including farm attacks and other property-related offences — show signs of increasing. Free State Agriculture (FSA) urges all farmers to critically evaluate their security networks using the farmer…
“While job creation remains a national imperative, it cannot be the key performance indicator (KPI) for the maintenance of critical infrastructure,” says Francois Wilken, President of Free State Agriculture (FSA). Wilken adds, “If the provincial government were truly serious about…
Free State Agriculture (FSA) / Vrystaat Landbou notes with grave concern the escalating outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) across several regions of the Free State. According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s latest update on 23 October 2025,…
Free State Agriculture (FSA) has expressed concern about the increase in seed theft that has been occurring from farms in the Free State since September 2025. According to Dr Jane Buys, Safety Risk Analyst, areas that have already been targeted…
“One third into the government’s financial year and project funds are already depleted, leaving only enough to cover the Department’s bloated, top-heavy staffing structure.” This is according to Francois Wilken, President of Free State Agriculture (FSA), who says that despite…
Free State Agriculture (FSA) attended a consultation meeting with border farmers in the Wepener and Boesmanskop/Zastron areas on 29 September 2025 to discuss the rehabilitation of the RSA/Lesotho border road. The farmers unanimously objected to a passable border road. According…