The next generation of South African agriculture is already taking shape

Honouring agricultural excellence with TLU SA

After spending ten years in Australia, Bertus Joubert returned to South Africa with a clear decision: he wanted to build a future in farming. Today, at 33, he runs a diversified agricultural operation in the North West and has been named TLU SA’s Young Farmer of the Year 2026. His story reflects the ambition, adaptability and responsibility required of the next generation of commercial farmers.

When Bertus Joubert talks about farming, he speaks about more than crops, livestock and production. He talks about people, business, technology and the responsibility that comes with building something that must last.

It is a perspective shaped by experience. After spending a decade in Australia, where he completed a business degree and worked as a supermarket business manager, Joubert realised that the opportunities abroad could not replace what he missed at home.

He missed South Africa, its people and farming.

Growing up around his father, Joffré Joubert, a first-generation farmer, had given him an early understanding of agriculture. He had seen the work involved in building a farming business and learnt that suc-cessful farming requires more than a passion for the land. It demands sound management and the ability to make difficult decisions.

In 2022, after a lengthy search, he bought his own farm at Hartbeesfontein in North West. What followed was a significant development project. Roads and fences needed attention, boreholes and dams had to be repaired, and pipelines installed. He also developed two centre pivots and invested in a modern poultry layer unit and a solar installation.

Today, his business, JSA Farms, includes table egg production, crops, vegetables, cattle, a Brahman stud and game. It is a diverse operation that continues to develop as he identifies opportunities to improve efficiency and expand.

His achievement was recognised on 2 September 2026, when he was announced as TLU SA’s Young Farmer of the Year at the organisation’s annual congress dinner in Pre-toria. He was selected from 12 finalists whose farms were assessed by independent judges during visits from 13 to 17 July.

For Joubert, the award is an important achievement, but his attention remains on what lies ahead.

A farm that works smarter

One of the defining features of JSA Farms is its use of technology to manage resources and improve day-to-day operations.

The poultry layer unit is equipped with automated feeding, manure removal and climate-control systems. These can be mon-itored and adjusted remotely using a smartphone and internet connection. The farm’s solar installation makes the operation energy-independent, placing it among the few large-scale poultry layer units in South Africa that operate independently of Eskom.

Irrigation is managed with the same focus on efficiency. Joubert can operate centre pivots and pumps remotely, while borehole pumps are switched on or off according to measured dam levels. This allows him to monitor water use and manage the system without having to be physically present at every point.

Drones have also become a practical tool on the farm. Joubert has used them since 2021 to improve the precision of crop spraying for weeds and diseases, helping to reduce chemical costs. He also uses drone

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technology to disinfect the poultry unit as part of its biosecurity programme.

These investments are not simply about having the latest equipment. They are intended to make the business more effi-cient, improve decision-making and give him better control over the operation.

That kind of thinking is becoming increas-ingly important as farmers face pressure from input costs, unreliable services, chan-ging weather patterns and disease risks.

Biosecurity remains a particular concern. Avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease can have serious consequences for indi-vidual farming businesses and the wider agricultural sector. Joubert believes farmers need to work together, share responsibility and take the necessary precautions to limit the spread of disease.

Technology can help, but it cannot replace good management and cooperation.

The people behind production

For all the technology on the farm, Joubert identifies his employees as his most important asset.

He believes that a successful team starts with appointing the right people and placing them in positions where their skills, personalities and interests can contribute to the business. He wants employees to feel that they belong and to take pride in what they do.

The people working on JSA Farms have helped create value in the operation, and Joubert regards them as partners in its development.

This is also where he sees one of farming’s most important contributions. A commercial farm does not operate in isolation. It creates employment, supports families and contrib-utes to the local economy. For some people, the opportunity to work on a farm can provide stability, support and a new beginning.

Joubert believes that farming carries a responsibility towards people as well as the land.

Looking ahead, he wants to expand the operation substantially over the next five to ten years. That growth will depend on stronger management systems, a positive workplace culture, consistent product quality and good relationships with customers.

His ambitions are significant, but they are grounded in a practical understanding of what it takes to run a business.

Young farmers cannot stand on the sidelines

oubert’s recognition comes at a time when the future of South African agriculture depends heavily on the decisions and involvement of younger farmers.

At TLU SA’s Young Farmer conference, Clemens Senekal, chairperson of the organ-isation’s Young Farmer Committee, challenged young farmers to think beyond simply inheriting and continuing estab-lished farming practices.

They inherit a sector built through gener-ations of investment, knowledge and hard work. But the agricultural environment is changing. Technology, markets, climate con-ditions and business demands require farmers to adapt.

Senekal’s message was that young farmers should aim to do more than

Young Farmer Bertus Joubert together with his father (left) and Willie Aucamp (right).

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survive. They must develop profitable, sus-tainable businesses, make use of innovation and technology, and prepare themselves to lead.

He also emphasised the importance of working together. The Young Farmer Com-mittee should serve as a platform where young farmers can exchange knowledge, discuss challenges, develop business rela-tionships and support one another.

Farmers cannot afford to operate as isol-ated individuals. They need networks, shared knowledge and a willingness to contribute to the future of the industry.

That includes becoming involved in organised agriculture. Farmers have valu-able practical experience, but that experience needs to reach the places where decisions are made. They must be prepared to raise concerns, put forward solutions and take part in shaping policy and the environment in which they farm.

As Senekal pointed out, farmers should not wait for someone else to build the future of agriculture. They need to help create it.

Why commercial agriculture matters

The importance of commercial farming extends far beyond the farm boundary.

Farmers produce the food that sustains the country. They create employment, invest in equipment and infrastructure, support suppliers and contribute to the economies of rural towns. Their businesses form part of a much larger value chain that includes transport, processing, retail and agricultural services.

Statistics South Africa’s 2024 Agricultural Survey recorded total income of R537.1 billion for agriculture and related services. The sector employed 840,407 people in June 2024.

These figures put the scale of the industry into perspective. Commercial agriculture is a significant part of the South African economy, and its ability to remain productive and competitive has direct implications for food security, employment and economic growth.

But farmers need an environment in which they can plan, invest and operate with con-fidence. Property rights, reliable water and electricity services, rural safety, workable labour policies and effective disease control are not abstract policy issues. They influence whether a farming business can remain viable and whether the next gener-ation will be willing to invest in it.

This is why farmer representation matters.

A voice where decisions are made

For more than a century, TLU SA has worked to represent the interests of com-mercial farmers and rural communities. Its structure is rooted in affiliated district agri-cultural unions and farmers’ associations, with national committees focusing on issues that affect the sector.

The committees provide a platform for farmers’ concerns to be considered and translated into positions, guidelines and action. They also enable TLU SA to engage with government departments, the police, organised agriculture and other institutions.

The issues are wide-ranging. Rural safety requires cooperation between farmers, communities, the South African Police Service and other role-players. Land matters, water availability, electricity supply, labour and agricultural policy all require ongoing engagement with the relevant authorities.

For farmers, these structures provide a way to raise practical problems collectively and ensure that their experiences form part of discussions at a broader level.

Representation does not mean that every problem can be resolved overnight. It does mean that farmers do not have to face every challenge alone, or rely only on individual efforts to make their concerns heard.

The involvement of younger farmers is essential to keeping these structures rel-evant. They bring new ideas, practical experience and an understanding of the technologies and business models that will shape agriculture in the years ahead.

Building a future worth inheriting

The TLU SA Young Farmer of the Year com-petition, now in its 25th year, recognises more than production results. Its assess-ment considers management, financial planning, innovation, sustainability, stew-ardship and community involvement, alongside a farmer’s ability to build a busi-ness with a future.

Joubert received 12 months’ use of a BYD Shark plug-in hybrid bakkie from Hat-field Motor Group, as well as a 36-month technology sponsorship from SmarTime and iNspexia, valued at R124,000. Gerhard Heinlein was named runner-up, with Marissa Solms in third place.

The finalists represent a generation of farmers who are finding ways to respond to the challenges of modern agriculture while continuing to invest in their busi-nesses and communities.

Joubert’s journey is a reminder that South Africa still offers opportunities for young people who are prepared to commit to agriculture. His return from Australia, investment in his farm and will-ingness to embrace new technology demonstrate what can be achieved through determination and sound busi-ness thinking.

He hopes his story will encourage other young farmers to remain in the country and build their futures here. He knows that farming in South Africa is not easy, but believes the sector needs young people who are prepared to take responsibility.

Senekal’s challenge at the conference was that farmers are not simply owners of land and businesses. They are custodians of something that must continue beyond their own lifetimes. Decisions made today will influence what the next generation inherits.

For Joubert, the next chapter is about growing JSA Farms, developing his people and producing quality products. For South African agriculture, it is about ensuring that young farmers have the skills, oppor-tunities and collective voice to keep the sector strong.

The future of commercial agriculture will not be built by one farmer or one organ-isation. It will depend on capable farmers, strong businesses and a sector prepared to work together.

And, as Joubert’s story shows, that future is already being built on farms across the country.