“Free State farmers are extremely disappointed with the price increase approved by NERSA for ESKOM”, says Francois Wilken, president of Free State Agriculture (FSA). “Even though it’s not the total increase that ESKOM requested, it’s still four times more than…
After months of anticipation, the Expropriation Act has been signed into law by President Ramaphosa, but Free State Agriculture (FSA) believes that the law will not pass the constitutional test. The organisation points out that the law’s definition of “expropriation…
By: Francois Wilken, Farmer & President of Free State Agriculture Which came first? The chicken or the egg? Or in the case of agriculture, one might ask: The farmer or the value chain? There is a misconception that the farmer…
Farmers are facing the biggest survival crisis yet. Regardless of what economists and other scholars want to pretend, farmers are in trouble: financially, emotionally and spiritually. Farmers are price takers, on the input and output side and still pay the…
The Free State Agriculture Rural Safety Committee presented nine (9) safety and stock theft training workshops in various districts in the Free State from 4 September to 20 November 2024. The workshops were presented in collaboration with the Police’s Rural…
In the run-up to the festive season, it is essential for farmers to pay attention to their safety plan, as well as their involvement in a safety structure in their area. A survey by FSA conducted among farming communities in…
Free State Agriculture (FSA), representing 2,500 commercial farming entities across 144 local farmer associations, strongly objected to Eskom’s proposed tariff increases at the NERSA public hearings held in Bloemfontein on 25 November. FSA emphasized that the agricultural sector, already grappling…
We are looking for 2025’s Young Farmer of the Year! This candidate is a true farmer at heart—someone unafraid to dream big, roll up their sleeves, and work hard to achieve their goals. They also play an active role in…
Free State Agriculture (FSA) acknowledges the progress made by SANRAL in taking over key national routes within the province. However, there is significant concern over the ongoing issues related to the repair of rural roads infrastructure, which are vital for…