The Panel

Zwier van de Vegte
Position: Head of the Aver Heino Practical Centre.

“Agriculture has always had to deal with changes, for as long as I have been active in agriculture. Over the years I have become more and more convinced that agriculture is only sustainable when it’s in a healthy balance with the environment. Major changes can only be successful when there are sufficient small “down to earth” changes and solutions. Farmers play a crucial role in this regard; they need to bring about those changes.”

Robert Bodde
Position: Chief Editor for cattle farming at the Boerderij trade magazine

“I am constantly involved with innovations in the agricultural sector. We try to keep the farmer informed and involved with everything going on in the world. It’s good to stimulate farmers to come up with innovations. Most are very modest and don’t think that what they are doing is anything special but an initiative like the ForFarmers Innovation Fund will definitely get them thinking".

Han Swinkels
Position: SIC Sterksel Manager

"I always welcome any attention paid to innovation. After all, without innovation we wouldnt improve. It’s fantastic that farmers are encouraged to come up with innovations as a result of the  ForFarmers Innovation Fund. If I can contribute to boosting this then I will. There is plenty of agricultural knowledge, but we can only stay one step ahead if we are capable of sharing this effectively. The innovation fund encourages the sharing of knowledge."

Hans Bijleveld
Position: Editor of the Poultry Farming trade magazine. 

“I joined the ForFarmers Innovation panel in order to assess innovations in the poultry sector in relation to their practical meaning from my knowledge and experience in the poultry sector.”