Agri SA honours its leaders and long-serving members

At its recent annual congress, farmers’ organisation Agri SA presented several of its members with special awards to pay tribute to the “outstanding service” these individuals have given to the agricultural sector in South Africa.

Former Agri SA president and Northern Cape farmer, Johannes Möller, was awarded an honorary presidency of the organisation.

‘AGRI SA MUST MAINTAIN MORAL HIGH GROUND’

Accepting the award, Möller said the three most important tasks that Agri SA had to fulfil was to “promote the interests of the agricultural sector in South Africa, present and represent the economically sound argument in the public discourse, and finally, the organisation must always maintain the moral high ground”.

Agri SA’s general affairs chamber conferred special awards on Carl Opperman, who has served as CEO of Agri Western Cape since 1999 and will retire from the position later this year; Henk Vermeulen who, over the past decade, served in many leadership roles within Free State Agriculture and Agri SA; and Judge Antonie Gildenhuys, who has consulted to the farming sector on many important legal issues, particularly property rights.

The commodity chamber of Agri SA recognised Thinus Ferreira for the contribution he had made to organised agriculture over a period of 33 years, especially in the Eastern Cape; Borrie Erasmus for his service as an adviser on legislation and policyrelated issues; and Wiehahn Victor for his leading role in the fruit sector, specifically the canned fruit industry.

Special awards by the board of Agri SA went to Möller as well as Dr Theo de Jager, president of the World Farmers’ Organisation, who was recognised for his dedicated service to farmers and organised farming structures over many years. Francois van der Merwe, who has served on Agri SA’s audit and risk committee since 2006, received an award for his contribution to the improvement of good corporate governance within the organisation. – Denene Erasmus

RIGHT, FROM TOP: • Recipients of special awards from Agri SA’s general affairs chamber, with leaders of Agri SA, were (from left): Dan Kriek (president of Agri SA); Carl Opperman (CEO of Agri Western Cape); Judge Antonie Gildenhuys; Henk Vermeulen (former CEO of Free State Agriculture); and Omri van Zyl (CEO of Agri SA).

PHOTOS: SIYANDA SISHUBA • Recipients of special awards presented by the board of Agri SA, with leaders of Agri SA, were (from left): Dan Kriek (president of Agri SA); Johannes Möller (former president of Agri SA); Francois van der Merwe (Agri SA audit and risk committee member); Dr Theo de Jager (president of the World Farmers’ Organisation); and Omri van Zyl (CEO of Agri SA).

• Dr Pieter Prinsloo (far left), chairperson of Agri SA’s commodity chamber, with the recipients of special awards presented by the chamber (from left): Thinus Ferreira; Borrie Erasmus; and Wiehahn Victor.