Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen says his ministry is working on improving relations with the US government, as agriculture is the fabric of South Africa. Speaking at the NAMPO agricultural exhibitions in Bothaville, Steenhuisen says as agriculture contributes directly to the country’s food security, the 49 Afrikaners who have sought refuge in the USA are beyond his control but says some farmers have expressed willingness to stay in the country. “This new tariff regime posed by the United States of 30% will be terribly harmful but we are lucky we have seen a 90 day pause in that, which is allowing us to continue the way in which we were before. And in this interim the government has not been sitting on its laurels, we have been working very clearly under the stewardship of the Minister of Trade and Industry with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, with the Ministry of International Trade, with the Ministry or the Presidency to put together a package deal which we’ll be able to offer the Americans”.