Senwes Scenario Februarie / Maart 2015 | Page 30

••• NUUS two of the main challenges the country faces. Maswanganyi assured the Americans that Senwes is trying everything in its power to attract young South Africans to the agricultural sector. Malan shared Senwes Grainlink’s day to day operations with the audience and drew similarities between grain production and storage in South Africa and the USA. Booyens explained the free market structure in South Africa and how producers have to cope within a volatile marketing environment without any support from government. He said farmers had to become full blown businessmen to face the various challenges and to be able to trade in a professional and sustainable manner. 28 The group also visited a Grainlink silo and the farm of Paul Maré, a farmer in the Viljoenskroon district to learn more about his farming practices and about Bonsmara cattle. They spent a day with this Senwes client. The rest of their programme included visits to a Crocodile Farm near Brits, The Langplaas Vegetable farm, a feedlot near Taaiboschbult, a potato, corn, soy, sugar beans and cattle farm in Mpumalanga, Februarie/Maart 2015 • SENWES Scenario visited the Kruger National Park, a game farm, a poultry farm and fruit and wine farms in the Western Cape. Upon their return to Johannesburg the young upcoming farmers visited the John Deere parts distribution warehouse which serves 61 John Deere dealers in South Africa and 49 dealers in Africa. They also stock 76 000 JD parts and receives replenishment stock via sea and air freight daily.