MacFarlane Pheasants Appreciates Workers from South Africa

Production Manager Troy Cisewski shared his appreciation for returning South African workers at MacFarlane Pheasants and the four new workers he supervises at the breeder farm.

Troy commented, “The entire experience of having employees from South Africa has been a major win for MacFarlane Pheasants. The guys are quick learners, hard-working, and self-motivated. Many come to us with an agricultural background, which helps with the long days of taking care of hundreds of thousands of birds. On a personal note, I would like to thank each and every one of the guys for all their hard work and dedication. Being away from their families and homes for 10 months can’t be easy. We sincerely hope their experiences with us make it rewarding”.

Martunis Venter and James Saayman have returned for another 10 months and are working at our Missouri farm collecting eggs from our 8000 breeder hens. Their days include performing all husbandry practices such as making sure the birds have feed and water, top dressing, herd health, and farm repairs. They also keep the farm and house maintained.

Kallie Englebrecht, Johan Jacobs, Ronnie Viljoen, Anton Meijer, Wicus Jacobs, Len Noort, and Jano Smith have all returned to work at the Janesville farm for another 10 months. We shared some of their stories on our blog site during the 10 months they were here in 2017.

The newest South African employees on Troy’s team include Herman Smit, Lodewyk Davis, Stephan Schutte, and Roodt Van Zyl.  All of the newest employees will pick well over a million eggs thru egg season! They also place straw in huts, clean feeders and assist with all the chores associated with the farm. We will share some of their stories on our blog site over the next couple of weeks.

All of the employees from South Africa go through a complicated process with a company in South Africa that helps them find employment in America for 10 months at a time. MacFarlane Pheasants was one of the employers who participated in providing the opportunity for them to work in the United States.

In addition to appreciating the hard work, learning about the South African culture and landscape has been an added benefit. Like Troy said, “This has been a major win for MacFarlane Pheasants.”