Matt, Heidi and the team at Longlane came home from the 2025 Ballance Farm Environment Awards with five category wins — Soil Health, People, Business Management, Agri Science, and Efficiency and a Canterbury finalist place in the Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award.
Five awards. One farm. One incredible team.
Matt has managed Longlane since 2003. The 890 ha property runs a mixed cropping and lamb finishing operation — potatoes, juicing carrots, wheat, barley, ryegrass and peas and over more than two decades, he and Heidi have quietly transformed it into one of Canterbury's most forward-thinking arable operations.
The thinking behind every decision is what sets Longlane apart. Soil moisture probes, variable rate fertilisation, cover crops and minimal tillage have all played their part in lifting yields and quality while reducing environmental impact. The judges were particularly impressed by the introduction of nature strips, a practical, low-intervention approach to pest control that has reduced the farm's reliance on chemical pesticides without compromising results.
It's the kind of farming that doesn't make a fuss. It just gets better, season by season.
Matt and Heidi bring that same care to their team. Fatigue management, a strong safety culture, and genuine investment in training mean the people at Longlane are set up to do their best work, and the results speak for themselves.
We're proud to have them as part of the Pye Group family. Well done, Matt, Heidi, and the whole Longlane team.
