Dutch horticultural youngster nominated for sustainability award
Gardener's Pride is the name of Van Overbeek’s family business. In the Frisian town of Bitgum they cultivate tomatoes on 20 hectares. "'I think it's important to grow our tomatoes as sustainably as possible, with low energy consumption, more use of organic materials and a very limited use of chemicals, so that this Dutch product remains the cleanest in the world", according to Marco.
"We are a socially responsible company that offers reintegration projects along with full transparency for consumers. Because we work in a team setting we’re better able to achieve our goals. We grow and package our product ourselves, so we can ship it to supermarkets ready for consumption. I am proud of the relationship we built with our customers over the past 30 years. Because of this, we can respond to what the market wants and achieve financially better results."
Marco explains why he thinks he is the most sustainable young farmer from Friesland. "Because I believe and see that it can be even more sustainable in Dutch greenhouse horticulture. We have to keep the level of Dutch greenhouse horticulture high, and I am committed to doing so with our company. I try to innovate and stay ahead of the competition.''
Sustainability Award
By handing out this award, Friesland wants to promote sustainability and support young people in the agriculture sector who start or take over a business. The other nominees come from livestock farming.
The winner will be announced on April 5 and will receive € 2,000. Second and third place contestants receive € 1,000 and € 500, respectively. The winner is selected by a jury that consists of representatives from the agriculture industry.
The second award is by public vote. The winner of the public award receives an honourable mention and a small prize. Voting can be done here.