Van der Merwe, who is the 10th generation on the farm, Boplaas, ascribed his success to the fact that he has been able to farm alongside his father, Fanie, for the past seven years.
The family business is more than 270 years old, making it the oldest family business in the country. “Learning from my dad means that I am tapping into knowledge that our family has generated over many generations,” he said.
Van der Merwe will compete against provincial winners from other provinces for the coveted Agri SA Toyota SA National Young Farmer of the Year title in October.
