New survey gives a voice to SA’s red meat industry

The Red Meat Voice 2025 survey has been launched to give South Africa’s red meat producers—from small-scale communal farmers to large commercial operations—a national platform to share their views on the future of the industry.

22 Aug 2025

Source: Lollie-Pop via Wikimedia Commons

The sector-wide engagement drive aims to uncover the real challenges, frustrations, and opportunities facing producers across all provinces. "This is the most ambitious survey ever conducted in the sector,” says Ilze Olivier, lead independent researcher. “We’re not only interested in what works, we’re digging into what doesn’t, and why it matters."

Scope and topics

Commissioned by Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS), the survey will inform future policy, funding priorities, and communication strategies, particularly on critical issues affecting the red meat value chain. Topics include:

• Trust in information sources
• Communication preferences
• Participation in traceability systems
• Knowledge of the statutory levy
• Views on RMIS’s performance and role

"If we want a more united, informed, and resilient red meat industry, it starts with listening," says Dewald Olivier, CEO of RMIS. "This isn’t a tick-box exercise. The survey will directly inform how RMIS prioritises its work – and how we serve the full spectrum of producers."

The survey is open until 30 September 2025 and takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Producers can complete it online here: https://rmis.co.za/red-meat-voice/. All responses are confidential and managed by an independent research team.