1. WELCOME 6th Agbiz Grain Symposium
14 August 2019

2. Overview
Agbiz Grain

3. CONTENTS NAMC registration Commodity Forums Commodity Trusts
Other industry bodies
Grain industry information
Technical issues
Training & education
Food safety
Local research & development
International interaction
Government interaction
During the past year, Agbiz Grain has once again contributed to the activities of various industry bodies that are active in the grain value chain of South Africa.

4. NAMC registration
Registered with the NAMC as an interested and affected party of the grain value chain
Forums and Forum Steering Committees
Commodity Focus
Production, Milling, Baking, Trading, Feed Processing, Commercial and Developing Agriculture, Seed and Research

5. Commodity group focus - 1
Maize, wheat, soybean, sunflower and sorghum
Interaction with Government
Crop Estimates
Supply and Demand calculations
Crop size – Quantity, Climate Change, Land Reform
Research priorities / R&D focus
Cultivar development/Release criteria

6. Commodity group focus - 2
Maize, wheat, soybean, sunflower and sorghum
Trade Environment - Grading Regulations, Alternative Import Tariff System, SA Customs Union/ Trade Agreements, BLNS Rebate System, Origin SAFEX - Discount on Foreign Wheat, Location Differentials
Transformation guidelines & initiatives - Grain Farmer Development Association & Grain SA Farmer Development Programme
Requests to commodity organisations to report specific information
Infrastructure for agriculture - Transnet Freight Rail / Road Freight
Legislative and regulatory matters

7. Commodity Trusts Trust Deeds of Industry Trusts stipulate that:
Boards comprised of value chain role players
Agbiz Grain GM - responsibility to serve as representative for storage operators & grain agri-business
Trusts then also nominate such Board Directors to serve on the Boards of industry bodies e.g. SAGIS, SAGL etc.

8. Other industry bodies
GM represents the interest of storage operators on:
JSE Commodities Advisory Committee – trade matters affecting the handling of grain and oilseeds
SA Cultivar and Technology Agency (SACTA) - handling of grain and oilseeds is vital to functioning of SACTA. GM is a director on the Board and a member of various sub-committees.
GM also represents Agbiz Grain members at Annual General Meetings:
SACOTA (SA Ceral & Oilseed Traders Association)
AFMA (Animal Feed Processors Association
NCM (National Chamber of Milling)
SA Chamber of Baking (SACB)
BFAP

9. Grain industry information
GM is a Board member of:
Southern African Grain Laboratory (SAGL)
South African Grain Information Service (SAGIS)
Crop Estimates Liaison Committee
Supply and Demand Estimates Liaison Committee
Major issues:
Alternative funding models (SAGIS & SAGL)
Sustainable funding of the service providers (CEC & SDEC)

10. Technical issues
During the past year, Agbiz Grain has hosted discussions on:
Land capability and crop suitability for grain and oilseeds
Protected Agricultural Areas
Sampling device for dispute procedure
Standardised handling and storage contract for grains and oilseeds
Structural safety inspection
Railway Safety Regulator
Road to Rail initiatives
Grain quality

11. Training & education
Agbiz Grain developed training material for storage operators:
Agri SETA - National Diploma Grain Handling Management
Grain Depot Manager - Occupational qualification
Grain Grader -Part qualification under Grain Depot Manager
Agbiz Grain Training webpage

12. Food safety
To guarantee the local and international markets of safe, nutritious grain and oilseeds, Agbiz Grain participates in:
Food Advisory Consumer Service (FACS) Committee
Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries (DAFF)
Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB)
Bio-Africa

13. Local research & development
To ensure grain and oilseed crops of high quality reach storage operators for distribution into the value chain, Agbiz Grain participates in:
Establishment of research priorities
Evaluation of projects
Funding allocations
Reviews of Trust funding models

14. International interaction
As part of the plan to revitalize the wheat industry, the GM visited: UK
British High Commission funded a visit to leading scientific institutions
The SA team established new contacts, cemented previous relationships and formed strategic partnerships with UK counterparts
USA
2019 Exchange of the Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS)
Fact-finding mission; proposed a model for SA grain industry that could form basis of Agbiz Grain and GOSA collaboration EU
2019 World Grain Network Meeting in Greece
Presented on Revitalisation of the South African wheat industry through quality management
Launch of new FOSS grading instrument
Latest FOSS research and development achievements

15. Government interaction
Agbiz Grain represents agribusiness and grain storage industry & often called on for advice and support by various government departments.
Department of Agriculture
CEO Forum
Assignee LEAF Inspection Services
FBO registrations, grain grading, sampling devices
Karnal bunt survey
Producer/Farmer Register Reference Group
Industry Consultative Group on National Extension & Advisory Services Awards
Department of Environmental Affairs - Methyl bromide alternatives
Department in the Presidency for Monitoring and Evaluation - Evaluation of the Medium Term Strategic Framework proposal for rural economy for
Departments of Public Enterprise - Grain logistics, Transnet
Departments of Transport – Branch lines, R2R

16. Thank you www.agbizgrain.co.za