The Freedom Front Plus's Werner Weber says 80-year-old farmer Hennie van der Walt was killed on Wednesday - the fourth farm murder in Mpumalanga in a short period of time in this province. Weber says the FF+ has requested an urgent meeting with Mpumalanga's premier to discuss rural safety.

An outbreak of rabbit haemorrhagic disease has been detected in the Western and Northern Cape. The Department of Agriculture's Reggie Ncgobo says they received reports from the Karoo of wild rabbit and hare deaths. Samples were collected to confirm the cause of the deaths. Members of the public are encouraged to report any dead or dying rabbits or hares to their nearest state vet for investigation.

The Sizwe Kupelo Foundation has contacted the agriculture department to arrange a date to hand over their memorandum calling for a ban on pit bull terriers as pets. OFM News' Elsabé Richard-May reports the department's Reggie Ncgobo says they will respond once they have received the petition. The foundation says its call comes as other countries such as Russia and the United Kingdom, as well as parts of China, have either banned or restricted the ownership or importation of the breed.

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A Crop Information Day was held in Bethel Village in North West, themed "Refund on capital employed". The provincial Department of Agriculture says the information day was aimed at planting and addressing challenges faced by subsistence and smallholder farmers. Many are unable to practise proper production methods that will lead to better yields. Presentations included cultivar choice, weed control and soil sampling.

OFM News