8 / 13
THE
GRAIN AND OILSEED INDUSTRY
OF SOUTH AFRICA – A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
ႊ
TABLE 2B: OTHER AWARDS MADE BY GRAIN SA
and commercial farmers. ‘Agriculture is the backbone of rural communities and the
grain industry is the primary provider of food security.’
In 2015 Syngenta, Absa and John Deere Financial were the main sponsors of the Grain
Producers Awards, the formal awards ceremony that took place in Midrand. John
Deere Financial was also the main sponsor of the Farmer Development Division’s an-
nual Day of Celebration. Syngenta has been the main sponsor of the Grain Producer
of the Year Award for the past 15 years. Absa and the Land Bank were respectively also
sponsors of the Developing Grain Producers Awards since 2002.
More information about the annual Day of Celebration of Grain SA’s Farmer Devel-
opment Programme is included in Chapter 8.
SCIENTIST/AGRICULTURIST OF THE YEAR
From 1982 NAMPO also nominated a Researcher of the Year. This award was later
retained by Grain SA and expanded to Grain Scientist/Agriculturist of the Year.
The aim of this was to honour grain scientists and agriculturists who make a major
contribution to the industry. Dr HO Gevers, who was at the Department of Agriculture
at the time, was nominated as the first Maize Scientist of the Year in 1982.
Dr Jan Dreyer, former head of the ARC-Grain Crops Institute who received this award
in 1993, is of opinion that this did not necessarily open new doors, but it did grant
Sound bite: NAMPO also began to recognise the
Scientist as well as the Personality of the Year –
Mr Giel van Zyl.
Inspiration Award
Awards to individuals or industry role-players
Recognition for excellence of
Grain SA’s Executive members
2005
Bully Botma
for dedication, loyalty, service and
leadership in the grain industry for many years
2010
Louw Steytler
for involvement in organised
agriculture
Vic Mouton
for involvement and positions occupied
in organised agriculture
2011
Dr Jan Dreyer
and
Prof Alan Bennie
– received
Grain SA honours awards for their expertise and
work as judges on the selection panel of Grain
Producer of the Year for many years
2012
Trophies presented to the
ambassadors of Mexico,
China
and
South Korea
as export countries of
South African maize
2013
Certificate of honour to
Leon du Plessis
as
administrator of the Sorghum Trust and Maize Trust
Anton Botha
(Region 20),
Willie Linde
(Region 15) and
Cobus van Coller
(Region 23)
shared the award
Award of special appreciation to
Charmian Swart
of Transnet Freight Rail for exceptional service to
the grain industry with imports and exports
2014
Prof Ferdi Meyer
– BFAP
Gert Pretorius
(posthumously) – leadership during
unification and founding of Grain SA
Jaco Minnaar
(Region 22)
Neels Ferreira
– vision, exceptional leadership
Fanie van Zyl
– leadership on the Management
Committee and Audit Committee of Grain SA
2015
Dr Julian Jaftha
– Department of
Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries
Dr Cobus le Roux
– lifelong dedication to research
and development of grain and industrial crops
Andries Theron
(Vice-chairperson: Grain SA)
Department of Science and Technology
– investment in grain research and new technology
Department of Rural Development and Land Reform
– contribution to the Grain SA Farmer Development
Programme
