The FMD outbreak comes at a time when the industry is suffering from a country-wide drought. Feed and maize prices have escalated and the consumer’s purchasing power is under pressure. This is in the midst of a herd rebuilding phase after the 2016 drought. All these factors put the producers’ cash flow and financial survival under pressure. All these factors represent a challenge to the mission of the RPO which is based on the facilitation of a competitive and sustainable red meat environment for the producer. Read more …