Matamata horticulturists Frans and Tineke de Jong, their son Talbert de Jong and his partner Emily Meese are Supreme winners of the 2015 Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA).

Described by BFEA judges as industry leaders who are “paving the way and setting examples to follow”, the de Jongs grow feijoas and capsicums on a 5.05ha property purchased in 2003.

Feijoas are produced in the 3.5ha orchard and capsicums are grown in 3000square metres of greenhouse. While a range of fruit and vegetables have been grown in the past, the de Jongs made the decision to concentrate on two main crops, focusing on quality and volume.