Statutory Measure relative to records and returns by milk producers (No. R. 1153 of 2003)

Government Gazette REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA Regulation Gazette No. 7740 Vol. 458 Pretoria 15 August 2003 No. 25306 AIDS HELPLINE: 0800-0123-22 Prevention is the cure STAATSKOERANT, 15 AUGUSTUS 2003 No. 25306 3 GOVERNMENT NOTICES GOEWERMENTSKENNISGEWINGS No. R. 1153 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DEPARTEMENT VAN LANDBOU 15 August 2003 MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ACT, 1996 (ACT NO. 47 OF 1996) ESTABLISHMENT OF STATUTORY MEASURE - RECORDS AND RETURNS BY MILK 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. Jt-Y. AT Didiza, Minister of Agriculture. 4 No. 25306 GOVERNMENT GAZElTE, 15 AUGUST 2003 SCHEDULE Definitions 1. In this schedule, any word or expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Act shall have that meaning, and unless the context otherwise indicates “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. “milk 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 milk producers to keep records and furnish returns to the Milk Producers’ Organisation. This is deemed necessary to ensure that continuous, timeouts 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, extension and health programmes. STAATSKOERANT, 15 AUGUSTUS 2003 No. 25306 5 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 that 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 rnay,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 milk producers provide the relevant information, action can be taken towards the improvement of animal health on a national basis. 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. r Administration of the measure 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: 6 No. 25306 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 15 AUGUST 2003 “(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 law, or with the written consent of the Minister, disclose to any other person information, 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 to milk. Area in which statutory measure applies 5. This statutory measure shall apply within the geographical arsa of the Republic of South Africa Records and returns to be kept and submitted by milk producers 6. (1) The following persons shall keep records and furnish returns with regard to milk in his or her possession or under his or her control: (a) milk producers. 32) The Milk Producers’ Organisation shall make return forms available to facilitate the process of submission of returns. (3) (a) The return shall be submitted annually, when forwarded by post to STAATSKOERANT, 15 AUGUSTUS 2003 No. 25306 7 ~ ~~ The Administrator Milk Producers’ Organisation PO Box 1284 PRETORIA 0001 (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 milk producer shall within 15 days after 31 October of each year, furnish an accurate return to the Milk Producers’ Organisation. (5) The records and returns shall contain informatisn with regard to the fcillowiiig: Date of completion of the return form; Producer‘s name and surname; Producer’s postal address; Name of the producer’s farm; Magisterial district in which the farm resides; Contact details of the producer, namely telephone, fax, e-mail and cell phone numbers; Parlour registration number of the farmer; 8 No. 25306 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 15 AUGUST 2003 Milk buyer's name; Whether the producer participates in the Cattle Brucellosis Scheme; Whether the producer participates in the Cattle Tuberculosis Scheme; Number of cows in milk; Number of dry cows (not in milk); Number of pregnant heifers; Number of heifers older than 12 months but not pregnant; Number of heifers from six months to 12 months old; (p) Number of heifers younger than six months; (9) Number of bulls for breeding purposes; (r) Breed of the herd; (s) Average litres of milk sold per month (during the past six months) in the formal and informal markets; (t) Average litres of milk for own usagekonsumption. (6) A record system that reflects good accounting practice shall be introduced and kept by the Milk Producers' Organisation. Effective date 7. J h i s statutory measure shall come into operation on the date of publication hereof and shall lapse on 1 November 2007.