South Africa’s livestock sector is being transformed.

Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen outlined five strategic pillars to guide South Africa to  food security and export growth in the red meat and dairy sectors at the inaugural Total Mixed Ration (TMR) Conference

These include biosecurity and disease resilience; structural transformation and inclusion; regulatory efficiency and trade enablement; climate adaptation and environmental stewardship; and public-private partnerships and institutional coordination.

The three-day conference, taking place from 8–10 June 2025 in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, brings together stakeholders from across the livestock industry, including dairy and red meat producers, intensive sheep farmers, feedlot operators, and veterinarians.

The event offers a unique networking opportunity for dairy and red meat producers, intensive sheep farmers, input suppliers, feedlot operators, and veterinarians, to engage with experts on key topics, including biosecurity, rumen health, feed management and nutrition, and performance optimisation.

The Minister further called for deeper collaboration between the public and private sectors – “not only on funding, but on policy alignment, research, and implementation.’

“We are committed to strengthening platforms such as the Red Meat and Dairy Master Plans, and working with industry partners to create offtake agreements, joint extension services, and coordinated disease control efforts,” he added. Source: SAnews.gov.za