Records and returns by dairy producers - Statutory Measure (No. R. 1562 of 2002)

54 No. 24143 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 13 DECEMBER 2002 No. 1562 13 December 2002 MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ACT, 1996 (ACT No. 47 OF 1996) ESTABLISHMENT OF STATUTORY MEASURE-RECORDS AND RETURNS BY DAIRY PRODUCERS I , Angela Thokozile Didiza, Minister of Agriculture, acting under sections 13 and 18 of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, 1996 (Act No. 47 of 1996), hereby establish the statutory measure set out in the Schedule. A. T. DlDlZA Minister of Agriculture SCHEDULE Definitions and unless the context otherwise indicates 1. In this Schedule, any word or expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Act shall have that meaning, “the Act“ means the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, 1996 (Act No. 47 of 1996); “milk” means the normal secretion of the mammary glands of bovines, goats or sheep; “dairy producer” means any person who keeps bovines, goats or sheep for the production of milk. Purpose and aims of statutory measure and the .relation thereof to objectives of the Act 2. The purpose of this statutory measure is to provide a statutory mechanism for dairy producers to keep records and furnish returns to the Milk Producers’ Organisation. This is deemed necessary to ensure that continious, timeous and accurate statistics and information relating to the dairy farming industry sector is made available to all role-players. Record keeping of the dairy cattle population will create statistics per province and districts of the numbers of cows, bulls, heifers and breeds. It will then be possible to follow changing population trends per province in order for the industry to predict milk production trends. The monitoring of trends of herd sizes and dairy breeds as well as the location thereof will assist the industry in the steering of its educational, research, c!xtension and health programmes. Statutory support in terms of veterinary inspection, extension, health and quality control services has been scaled down substantially over the past some ten years. Herds th,at are not treated for critical diseases, pose major health risks to animals and man. Zoonosis, a disease or infection naturally transmittable between vertebrate animals and/or man, undermines the health, productivity and reproductivity of those animals on which man relies for his food and labour. Zoonosis may thus, in the long run, add to the problem of malnutrition in man and particularly in children. Annual losses in the RSA due to tuberculosis, brucellosis and rabies in cattle amount to several million rand. Once dairy producers provide the relevant information, action can be taken towards the improvement of animal health on a national basis. STAATSKOERANT, 13 DESEMBER 2002 No. 24143 55 Since the closure of the Dairy Board in 1993, the local research capacity has declined gradually. By means of the proposed measure relating to records and returns, producer inputs in respect of animal health, production quality, genetics and feeding can be obtained in order to pro-actively conduct research where problem areas are identified. Research projects that support efficient and effective herd management, directly correlates with an improvement in product quality. Administration of the measure 3. This statutory measure will be adrninisted by the Milk Producers’ Organisation, an association incorporated under Section 21 of the Companies Act, 1973 (Act No. 61 of 1973). Information will be made available from the returns rendered to the MPO in a manner suitable to meet the needs of the role-players in the dairy industry of South Africa. The information collated will be dealt with in such a manner to ensure compliance with the provisions of section 23 (2) of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, which provides as follows: “(2) No person shall, except in the performance of his or her functions under this Act, or unless required to do so by a court of law or in terms of any IiaW, or with the written consent of the Minister, disclose to any other person infor mation, pertaining to any person, institution or body of persons, collected under section 18 or otherwise acquired in the performance of functions in terms of this Act.” Product to which statutory measure applies 4. This statutory measure shall apply io milk. Area in which statutory measure applies 5. This statutory measure shall apply within the geographical area of the Republic of South Africa. Records and returns to be kept and submitted by dairy producers his or her control: 6. (1) The following persons shall keep records and furnish returns with regard to milk in his or her possession or under (a) Dairy producers. (2) The Milk Producers’ Organisation shall make return forms available to facilitate the process of submittance of returns. (3) The return shall be submitted biannually (a) when forwarded by post to The Administrator Milk Producers’ Organisation P.O. Box 1284 PRETORIA 000 1 I (b) when delivered by hand, delivered to The Administrator Milk Producers’ Organisation Cotton South Africa Building 90 Cycad Place off Watermeyer Street Val de Grace Extension 10 PRETORIA 01 84 (4) Each diary producer shall within 715 days after 31 October of each year, furnish an accurate return to the Milk (5) The records and returns shall contain information with regard to the following: Producers’ Organisation. \ (a) Date of completion of the return form; (b) producer’s name and surname (c) producer’s postal address; (d) name of the producer’s farm; (e) magisterial district in which the farm resides; (f) contact details of the producer, namely telephone, fax, e-mail and cell phone numbers; (9) parlour registration number of the farmer; (h) milk buyer’s name; (i) whether the producer participates in the Cattle Brucellosis Scheme; (j) whether the producer participates in the Cattle Tuberculosis Scheme; (k) number of cows in milk; (I) number of dry cows (not in milk); I (m) number of pregnant heifers; 56 No. 24143 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 13 DECEMBER 2002 number of heifers older than 1 2 months but not pregnant; number of heifers from six months to 12 months old; number of heifers younger than six months; number of bulls for breeding purposes; breed of the herd; average litres of milk sold per rnonth (during the past six months) in the formal and informal markets; average litres of milk for own u:sage/consumption. (6) A record system that reflects good accounting practice shall be introduced and kept by the Milk Producers’ Organisation. Effective date 7. This statutory measure shall come into operation on the date of publication hereof and shall lapse on ..........