GOOD CROPS FOLLOW HARD WORK

The grain crops of the past few seasons have really made most grain producers smile broadly. Yes, they have been good years.

Winter grain producers are proudly talking about the good yields. The summer grain crops on the fields hold much promise and everyone is grateful. We are also aware of some with whom it is not going well and who did not receive the much needed rain showers; but generally speaking it seems that overall good crops are on the way.

For those of us who “farm” in offices all over the country on behalf of Grain SA, it has also been a good year. The yields on a lot of work to make grain production more sustainable, were very good.

We will be reporting fully about this at all the regional meetings and during the Congress of 2013 there will be
proper feedback. Grain SA is in many respects similar to a field of crops. It is fertile with potential and with the right cultivars (leaders) and elements of nature (people and their attributes), hard work is rewarded.

Each one contributed his/her part and when everything was brought together, the result was good and beautiful. There were many days when we had to keep our cool to continue steering all the advances on all the terrains while going in the right direction.

It made me think of the reed boat races I always had on my grandfather’s farm on irrigation days when they watered the fields. As the handful of “boats” raced through the rapids, I had to do everything in my power to keep all of them in the main stream and prevent them from being caught by some annoying grasses or reeds. A long cottonwood cane helped me to make sure all remained in the main stream.

Our development programme is currently in such rapids and requires a lot of attention, but the smiles on the faces of the families of participants continues to be the reward every farmer looks forward to when a good crop is harvested.

What stands out like a pole above water, however, is that hard work still reaps its rewards. This means that employees, like most producers, also have to work full stream during the December holiday to ensure that the crop is planted.

The staff and leadership worked hard and just as in nature, the good year resulted in a good crop. May it remain an inspiration to all of us to continue to believe that honest, hard work leads to good crops in the long term.
 

Jannie de Villiers, CEO