The Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) has applauded the statutory levy cycle, which recently appeared in Government Gazette No. 55673 and took effect last week, marking the start of a new four-year cycle for South Africa’s red meat industry.
The statutory measures, approved by the minister of agriculture, will remain in effect until 4 November 2030 and cover levies, records and returns, and registrations across the red meat industry.
The Red Meat Primary Cluster (RMPC) applied for its continuation on behalf of its constituents, while Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) NPC remains the appointed administrator of the statutory levy.
For RMIS, the start of the new cycle represents more than the continuation of a funding mechanism. It provides the industry with a collective means of investing in priorities that affect the resilience, competitiveness and future growth of the entire red meat value chain.
Chief executive officer of RMIS Dewald Olivier said this was ultimately about what the industry can achieve together.
“There are challenges facing the red meat sector that cannot be solved by individual producers or organisations working in isolation.
“The levy gives us the ability to pool resources and direct them towards issues that matter to the whole value chain, while remaining accountable for how those funds are used,” he said.
From establishment to implementation
According to Olivier, RMIS was established as a non-profit company in 2022, when the 2022–2026 statutory levy period commenced.
Its board was appointed, and the organisation became operational during the first cycle, with levy-funded projects subsequently brought together around the priorities of the Red Meat Industry Strategy 2030.
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This meant the first cycle was not only about implementing projects. It also required building the organisational and industry infrastructure and lasting capabilities through which those projects could be delivered.
• Traceability ecosystem: Among the most significant developments was the establishment of an industry-driven national traceability platform. Today, more than 15 000 production units are registered, with 17 digital livestock management systems connected to the traceability ecosystem. This gives industry role-players a range of options through which they can participate in traceability, rather than requiring the entire industry to adopt a single system.
• Disease operational centre: When foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) began spreading rapidly, the industry also needed the ability to respond quickly. RMIS established a fully operational Disease Operations Centre in under 90 days, bringing together veterinary capacity, authorised biosecurity marshals, live disease mapping, automated WhatsApp alerts and a dedicated FMD information hub.
• FMD vaccination support: RMIS has also supported government with the distribution of FMD vaccines to farmers, appointed animal health technicians to assist with the vaccination rollout, and distributed industry traceability tags to strengthen record-keeping during the mass vaccination campaign. More recently, RMIS secured FMD vaccines for the industry at cost price, helping to ensure that producers do not carry additional mark-ups on the cost of vaccines.
• Industry-led research: Another important development was the introduction of Field to Future, which changed the way RMIS identifies and prioritises research and other industry interventions. The process brings producers and value chain role- players directly into the conversation, helping to ensure that funding is directed towards real-world challenges experienced on the ground, rather than research priorities being determined in isolation.
“The first four years were about much more than funding projects. We had to build the mechanisms that allow the industry to act collectively.
“Those foundations are now in place. The opportunity in the next cycle is to build on them and increase the impact we deliver to the industry,” Olivier said.
Building on the first levy cycle
With the new statutory levy cycle now in effect, RMIS enters the next four years with established programmes, stronger industry infrastructure and a clearer understanding of where collective investment can make the greatest difference.
“The focus for the 2026–2030 cycle will be on building on what has already been implemented, strengthening what works and responding to new challenges as they emerge.
“This includes continuing to improve the industry’s animal health and disease response capabilities, expanding participation in traceability, supporting market access, investing in relevant research and ensuring that levy-funded interventions deliver practical value across the red meat value chain,” he said.
For the 2026/27 statutory year, the levy is set at R15.80 per head of cattle and R3.08 per head of small stock, with annual increases provided for over the four-year cycle.
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