Our history
THE NWGA AND THE WOOL INDUSTRY
The National Wool Growers’ Associations of South Africa (NWGA) was founded during a wool conference held in Middleburg on 26 May 1926, to collectively represent the wool farmers in the country and to work together to improve all aspects of the industry. Since then, the NWGA has developed into a countrywide organisation, consisting of six area branches and more than 1 000 sub-branches. The NWGA is a mechanism for wool farmers to have a close link with the institutions that buy and process their wool, with government programmes and policies that impact on their industry, with universities and research institutes, and with wool farmers and organisations all over the world.
The NWGA is a national commodity structure formed by commercial and communal wool sheep farmers in South Africa, with the purpose of collectively representing the wool farmers in the country and to integrate, in a single representative structure, the development requirements of the sector.
The NWGA comprises a voluntary membership of both commercial and communal wool producers, representing a significant share of wool realisation in South Africa. The focus is on the wool farmer, whether small or big, and their interests. Consequently, the voice of the wool farmer is heard on numerous boards, agricultural boards, agricultural unions, and committees within organised agriculture, fully representing the nation’s farming community. The reputation of the NWGA is built upon the constant quality service offered to its members.
WOL: ONS TYDLOSE ERFENIS
Deur Leon De Beer
Skaapboerdery is, volgens die geskiedenis, die mens se oudste georganiseerde bedryf en skaapherders was die eerste beroep wat binne georganiseerde strukture gevestig is. Volgens Mnr Leon de Beer, hoofbestuurder van die NWKV, het wol die afgelope twee eeue die grootste aandeel in die vestiging en ontwikkelling van landelike ekonomieë in Suid-Afrika gehad, en het ook tot die totstandkoming van ’n kommersiële bank gelei. Die bedryf is steeds besig om ’n groot bydrae tot ontwikkeling, ekonomiese groei en werkskepping te lewer – iets wat bitter min kommoditeite, onder veral ekstensiewe boerdery-omstandighede, kan vermag.
Volgens De Beer is hierdie kleurvolle geskiedenis van die wolbedryf sedert die 18de eeu en veral die NWKV se geskiedenis sedert 1929, voorwaar iets om op trots te wees.
VISITING A MERINO FARM
“The Merino is the greatest animal God ever created and man developed.” – Andries Pienaar.
Wild Fibers Magazine, a publication that explores the world of natural fibers, visited Klipplaatsfontein in the Colesberg district in 2016, where the editor and publisher, Linda Cortright, met with Andries and Nora Pienaar. A delightful read where reference of the autobiography of Eve Palmer is made, where she describes the Karoo as a formidable landscape and known for “great heat, great frosts, great floods, and great droughts”. Today, it’s also known for great sheep.
