Garies farmer contender for 2025 Young Farmer of the Year title

An up and coming young farmer from Garies in the Northern Cape has been announced as a finalist in the 2025 Young Farmer of the Year competition.

The competition that is has reached its final stage, with six exceptional young agricultural leaders competing for the prestigious title.

The competition, now in its 24th year, celebrates the passion, skill,and determination of young farmers who are shaping the future of agriculture.

The six finalists are:

• Tiaan Barkhuizen, 33, from Garies in the Northern Cape, runs a Dorper stud and commercially farms with Boer goats and sheep.
• Niel Booyens, 28, from Belfast, farms with cattle, sheep, and crops such as maize, soybeans, and oats.
• Thian Heyns, 29, from Clocolan, Free State, who farms with Sussex stud and commercial cattle, as well as maize, soya beans, sunflowers and wheat.
• Martin van Jaarsveld, 30, from Greylingstad, Mpumalanga.
• Willem van der Merwe, 36, and Francois du Toit, 34, from Chrissiesmeer, Mpumalanga, have entered into a partnership in crop farming, sharing responsibilities in areas such as marketing, planning, and finances. Notably, Willem is a practising attorney, while Francois is a forestry technician. Francois has also entered the competition individually, focusing on arable land.

A national judging panel will visit each finalist's farm from July 14-18 2025, to assess their management ability, technical expertise and financial control, among other criteria.

The top three finalists will be announced after the farm visits, with the winner revealed during the TLU SA Congress on September 10, 2025.

The winner will receive a brand-new BYD bakkie for a year, courtesy of Hatfield Motor Group, and a R50,000 cash prize, thanks to Manitou. Additionally, Santam will provide cash prizes for the runner-up and third-place finalist.