Vier spesiale mense wat in enige bedryf ’n sukses sou kon maak. Só het prof Pieter Fourie, sameroeper van die beoordelaars en Hoof van die Department van Landbou by die Sentrale Universiteit vir Tegnologie (SUT), die finaliste in 2019 se Vrystaat Landbou (VL) Jongboer van die Jaar kompetisie beskryf.

Volgens Fourie is dit sterk kandidate wat sake uitspook om as 24ste wenner aangewys te word. Twee jong landbouers van Bultfontein, Milne Bredenkamp en Henk Harmse, een van Arlington, Herman Janse van Rensburg, en een van Warden, Ludwig Becker, het onlangs die kompetisie se beoordelaarspaneel op hul plase ontvang. Hulle is op 5 en 6 Maart 2019 besoek en beoordeel.

Die wenner stap met ’n VL-kontantprys, asook ander pryse van verskeie borge, weg en sal outomaties aan die Toyota Agri SA nasionale Jongboer van die Jaar kompetisie deelneem. VL se Jongboer-konferensie, met die tema Toeganklike hulpbronne in ’n moderne landbou-omgewing, vind op 17 April 2019 in Bloemfontein plaas, met die Jongboer-wenner wat by ’n gala-dinee aangekondig word. Verlede jaar se wenner was Nelius Ferreira.

Bredenkamp, wat hoofsaaklik met mielies op die plaas Hanover boer, bedryf ’n gemengde boerdery wat gewasse, vee en wild insluit. Harmse se fokus op die plaas Rechtvaardig is saaiery, met skape en beeste wat ook van sy vertakkings is. Mielies en sonneblomme is die grootste gedeelte van Janse van Rensburg, wat ook met vee op Port Arlington boer, se boerdery. Becker plant hoofsaaklik mielies op die plaas Geluk, met sojabone, dekgewasse en beeste wat ook deel van sy boerdery uitmaak.

Afdelings waarop hulle beoordeel word, sluit onder meer in toekomsbeeld, begroting en finansies, produksie, bemarking, instandhouding, personeelbestuur en gemeenskapsbetrokkendheid.

Volgens Boet Wilken, Voorsitter van VL se Jongboer-komitee en ’n beoordelaar, hou niks dié finaliste terug nie. “Wat uitstaan, is die positiwiteit en nuwe denke van hierdie jong landbouers,” het hy gesê.

“Dit is vier spesiale mense wat toevallig boer,” het Fourie gesê. “Dit is mense wat in enige bedryf ’n sukses kon maak, want daar is ongelooflik baie leierseienskappe onder die vier.”

Milne Bredenkamp:

Milne Bredenkamp (links) en Boet Wilken, Voorsitter van Vrystaat Landbou se Jongboer-komitee en een van die beoordelaars, kyk na grondbone op Bredenkamp se plaas naby Bultfonftein. Foto: Jóhann Thormählen

Henk Harmse:

Henk Harmse (regs) verduidelik aan dr Cobus le Roux, ’n beoordelaar, hoe die droogte in Bultfontein sy mielies beïnvloed het. Foto: Jóhann Thormählen

Herman Janse van Rensburg:

Herman Janse van Rensburg wys sy sonneblomme vir die beoordelaars op sy plaas in die Arlington-distrik. Agter hom is Boet Wilken, Voorsitter van Vrystaat Landbou se Jongboer-komitee en ’n beoordelaar. Foto: Jóhann Thormählen

Ludwig Becker:

Ludwig Becker van Warden wys die beoordelaars hoe hy van tegnologie in sy boerdery gebruik maak. Foto: Jóhann Thormählen

Young farmer finalists are special people who happen to farm, says Prof Fourie

Four special people who could succeed in any industry. That is how Prof Pieter Fourie, convener of the judges and Head of the Department of Agriculture at the Central University of Technology (CUT), described the finalists in the 2019 Free State Agriculture (FSA) Young Farmer of the Year competition.

According to Fourie all the finalists in the running to be named the 24th winner are strong candidates. Two young farmers from Bultfontein, Milne Bredenkamp and Henk Harmse, one from Arlington, Herman Janse van Rensburg, and one from Warden, Ludwig Becker, recently welcomed the competition’s judging panel on their farms. They were visited and judged on 5 and 6 March 2019.

The winner walks away with a cash prize from FSA, as well as other sponsored prizes, and will automatically participate in the Toyota Agri SA National Young Farmer of the Year competition. FSA’s Young Farmer Conference, with the theme Accessible Resources in a Modern Agricultural Environment, will be held in Bloemfontein on 17 April 2019, with the Young Farmer of the Year being announced at a gala dinner. Last year’s winner was Nelius Ferreira.

Bredenkamp, who mainly farms with maize on the farm Hanover, operates mixed farming that includes crops, livestock and wildlife. Harmse focuses on crop farming on Rechtvaardig, with sheep and cattle also part of his practices. Maize and sunflowers are the largest part of Janse van Rensburg’s, who also farms with livestock at Port Arlington, farm. Becker mainly plants maize on the farm Geluk, with soybeans, cover crops and cattle also part of his practices.

Divisions on which they are judged include, among other things, future vision, budget and finances, production, marketing, maintenance, personnel management and community engagement.

According to Boet Wilken, Chairman of FSA’s Young Farmer Committee and a judge, nothing holds the finalists back. “What stands out, is the positivity and new ways of thinking of these young farmers,” he said.

“They are four special people who happen to farm,” Fourie said. “They are people who could make a success in any industry, because there are lots of leadership qualities among the four.”

 

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