5 / 33
5
chapter 5
Servicing specialist interests
To the NOPO management committee it was essential that the principle of servic-
ing specialist interests for the various grain crops be maintained within the model
of co-operation. In the case of NAMPO, the focus was only on white and yellow
maize. However, the NOPO frame of reference serviced three industries, namely
sunflower, soybeans and groundnuts.
The NOPO executive decided that a balanced service to all three oilseeds had to
be provided. The NOPO congress had also established the practice that separate
breakaway groups for sunflower, soybeans and groundnuts be arranged at the an-
nual congresses, so that industry-specific matters could be addressed with partic-
ular focus. NOPO therefore regarded the fact that oilseeds should still be serviced
per crop as a core element of the discussions on amalgamation.
The constitution that was ultimately accepted by Grain SA also specifically made
provision for specialist working groups within Grain SA and for expertise to be co-
opted to the Executive should there not be sufficient expertise for a commodity
sector among the elected Executive members.
Appointment of Steering Committee
At a meeting held on 19 August 1998 the management committees of NAMPO and
NOPO decided to appoint a Steering Committee to plan and guide the merging of
the two organisations and the subsequent establishment of a new grain producer
organisation. The Steering Committee consisted of Messrs Japie Grobler, Gert
Pretorius, Giel van Zyl and Nico Vermaak.
In addition to the appointment of the Steering Committee, it was decided to com-
plete and announce the process of unification as quickly as possible. It was
also decided to continue with the planning to integrate the NAMPO and NOPO
business plans and to conduct a thorough investigation into the financing of the
unification process.
Van Zyl, NAMPO’s General Manager, would be appointed as acting General Man-
ager of the organisation that was to be formed. He was requested to commence
talks with the WPO and SPO again about their possible inclusion in the proposed
new producer organisation.
Meeting between NAMPO and WPO
On 21 September 1998 the management committees of NAMPO and the WPO
convened in Bothaville in order to discuss the co-operation between the differ-
ent agricultural producer organisations. At the meeting, consensus was reached
Many grains make light work. This cartoon from 1998 depicts unification of the
various producer organisations for grains and oilseeds.