Pioneering farmer Bernadette Freyer-Swartz on overcoming steep hurdles

Turning challenges into opportunities
The farmer and business owner believe that great communication and interpersonal skills are crucial to achieving success.
Patricia Coetzee
  • 4 Weeks Ago
Bernadette Freyer-Swartz juggles many titles, one of which is being a poultry farmer. She owns a business with her spouse called SCS Trading Enterprise CC in Rehoboth that mainly focuses on egg-laying and selling.

Freyer-Swartz’ introduction to poultry farming was both swift and born out of unfortunate circumstances. Due to a drought, the Freyer-Swartz family had to sell most of their cattle because of the high cost of feeding them. However, they still had a farm bond to pay off, which led to the idea of starting a poultry farm.

“We struggled to keep abreast of feeding livestock due to poor rainfall, but we had a farm bond that needed to be paid and resorted to importing 5 000 chicks from Belgium. I can at least feed chicken, but not cattle and sheep, which was too costly,” Freyer-Swartz said.



Giving back

Although her introduction to the industry was tough, Freyer-Swartz made the most of the opportunity and now manages a business with a staff of 14 employees and a retail shop where she sells her products.

Besides running the family business, she gives back to the community by working hand in hand with the government to help small businesses start up in the poultry industry.

“We also work with the government via their poultry scheme, setting up small and medium poultry entrepreneurs. We supply them with all necessities ranging from chickens, cages, feed, medicine and knowledge on how to run the chicken-laying business,” said Freyer-Swartz.



Business skills

The farmer and business owner noted that while an educational background is a benefit to running a business in any field, it is the soft skills that play the most important role in the success of any business.

“Education and working experience can hugely benefit you, especially if you have a financial background, but it is the soft skills that will carry you through the journey,” she said.

She added that good communication and interpersonal skills are some of the soft skills she believes help to successfully manage a business, especially in agriculture.

Additionally, she said that being able to work well with people and treat others well, especially the people that work for you, is very important.

The poultry farmer also said problem-solving skills, adaptability, a strong support system, strong ethics and a passion for the work will take you a long way.

Freyer-Swartz addressed some stereotypes typically associated with the farming industry, such as the belief that only men can be farmers. She is living proof that a woman can succeed in this industry.

“Most of the time, farmers are not born; it eventually grows on you. I am an educated woman with years of working experience,” she said.

For this farmer and businesswoman, everything she does is for her family, and her ideal way to end a busy day is relaxing in the company of her loved ones.