Milk SA is a non-profit company (NPC) as per the Companies Act, 2008 (Act No. 71 of 2008), as amended, and is also registered as a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO).
Milk SA was designated by the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) to act as Administrator for the statutory measures that are published in terms of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act 1996 (Act No. 47 of 1996).
In terms of the above-mentioned designation as Administrator, Milk SA collects statutory levies from role-players as defined in these measures, which are employed towards the funding of projects in terms of specific objectives, also defined in the same measures.
The strategic direction / intent of Milk SA is to improve the competitiveness of the South African dairy industry, to broaden the market for South African dairy products and to promote transformation. The above-mentioned objectives and projects are and must always be aligned with this strategic direction.
The objectives, as alluded to in paragraph 3 above, are categorised as follows:
- Industry Information
- Empowerment of previously disadvantaged individuals
- Research and Development
- Environmental sustainability
- Animal health and welfare
- Consumer education
- Improvement of the quality of milk and other dairy products
- Dairy technical skills and knowledge development
It is evident from the above, that the programmes, projects and activities of Milk SA are beneficial to all role-players in the South African dairy industry as well as the well-being of the South African consumers.
The mandate of Milk SA as defined by the statutory measures:
“To promote the viability of the South African dairy industry and to pursue the other objectives of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, as set out in Section 2 of the Act, it is necessary to deal with highly technical and scientific issues which are relevant in respect of the productivity of the dairy industry and its impact on the environment and which require collective effort by the dairy industry.
The fields of knowledge relevant are in respect of soil, plants, dairy animals, milk and other dairy products, environmental issues and production, processing and manufacturing technologies.
To deal with the issues concerned, actions are required to promote coordinated research and the promotion of the application of local and international research results that are functional in respect of the strategic direction of the South African dairy industry, namely to broaden the market for milk and other dairy products, improvement of the competitiveness of the dairy industry and empowerment of previously disadvantaged individuals.”