Nick Serfontein calls on Steenhuisen over FMD crisis

In an open letter to Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen, Serfontein says FMD has cost the country R1,5 billion in export markets this year alone. He adds that without proactive, timeous action, the industry is likely to face immeasurable losses.

Here we go again: an open letter

Dear Mr John Steenhuisen,

I would like to start by acknowledging your passion for agriculture, as well as the state veterinarians in the Free State for their attitude and cooperation, and all the organisations in the red meat industry that are working together to develop plans to control the epidemic of FMD.

Background

In 2018, I wrote an open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa regarding my frustration over the lack of successful land reform. The letter was not offensive; rather, it was a ‘plea’ to involve commercial farmers in land reform because we want to see this country, which we love so much, work.

The response to my letter was overwhelming, to the extent that I was asked to serve on Ramaphosa’s Expert Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture, which proved to be a very traumatic experience.

It’s now seven years later, and nothing has changed. Land reform has been a failure for 30 years, remains a failure, and will likely continue to be a failure for a long time to come due to outdated ideologies.

For the past five years, I have challenged successful black farmers from various platforms about their expectations of receiving title deeds. My prediction is that this will not happen.

Let us leave it there.

A new abyss

South African farmers, big and small and of all races, are standing at a new abyss. As a result of FMD, we have lost R1,5 billion in export markets this year alone.

On 14 May 2025, I sent a letter to your office warning that a catastrophe was on its way. On 2 June, an FMD outbreak occurred at a Karan Beef feedlot. Although I had, and still have, enormous sympathy for Karan, my words were that it had to happen.

There are four categories in the beef value chain:

• Informal: I have a lot of sympathy for these farmers, as there is no market for them other than loading cattle onto a cart and smuggling them to stay alive.
• Feedlot: this group goes through absolute hell, suffering huge losses, yet still makes plans to survive.
• Commercial: some may survive, although with huge losses, but others will go under.
• Stud breeders: they will probably be the worst affected, as stud animals from quarantined herds cannot be sold for 24 months under current legislation. We have some of the very best genetics in the world, but it means nothing if we cannot get them onto the market.

The task force of 30

A 30-member task team was formed in July 2025 to address the FMD situation. It is now four months later, and no one can confirm that a concrete plan with specific goals and target dates is on the table.

Apparently, there is a ‘war room’ where information is gathered, but without a plan, targets, and a ‘commander who understands warfare’, it means nothing. And this is a war that could destroy the cattle industry.

Meanwhile, the virus is spreading like wildfire. Some outbreaks are reported, but according to my information, the majority of outbreaks are not. The entire cattle industry is under siege.

Dear minister, our farmers could sit and wait to see what happens, but that’s not in our DNA. We can’t leave our future to veterinarians and scientists (with respect to both) and a bureaucracy that bullies us. We have plans with goals, logistics, and estimated costs that have already been handed over to you or will be handed over this week.

Our request is simple: listen to us. This is a state of emergency.

We don’t want to fight, but we will be forced to if our survival is at stake.

Finally, our farmers are unaware of the progress that has been or is being made. A lack of communication creates the impression that there is no action.

Yours sincerely,
Nick Serfontein (in my personal capacity)