The Netherlands – Hypor: Excellent Management Practices and High Quality Genetics Produce Winners

Hypor’s multiplication dealer for northern Holland, Johnny Hogenkamp, accepted The Netherlands most prestigious agricultural award, “Agricultural Entrepreneur 2006,” on March 29, 2006 at a ceremony in Zeist. At the gala event, Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Cees Veerman, awarded Hogenkamp and his wife Ria a cheque for 12.500 Euro or nearly $16,000 US, and a public honour garnered from votes cast by the public on the Internet. The couple was nominated for the prestigious title along with four other entrepreneurs, but the jury and the public voted Johnny Hogenkamp the number one agricultural entrepreneur, the first ever pig farmer to be chosen for the award in its eleven-year history. The seven-member jury who determined the winner of the award was convinced that Johnny Hogenkamp was the best ambassador for agribusiness in The Netherlands. His modern and progressive pig farm located in Dalfsen, an 800 sow farm producing 4000 breeding gilts for the market, has a skybox and a conference room where the Hogenkamps invite customers and guests to see the pigs in their unit. Making pig farming accessible and open to the public impressed the jury, and clinched the award for the Hogenkamps. Along with his wife Ria, the Hogenkamps own a multiplication dealership, producing breeding pigs for their own integration as well as supplying northern Holland with Hypor pigs . Mr. Hogenkamp says that the award has increased his business with more farmers wanting the award-winning, high-health pigs of the Hypor lines. “It’s the best sow there is,” says Hogenkamp. Hypor The Netherlands Sales Manager, Paul van Hooijdonk and Luc Vandenabeele, Director Hypor Benelux are delighted that the Hogenkamp’s have received the prestigious award. “Johnny Hogenkamp, his family and his personnel all worked hard and deserve the honour that this award bestows on them,” says Vandenabeele. “And its timing couldn’t be better; it comes after the re-launch of Hypor in the Netherlands and the Hogenkamp’s opening of a new breeding barn of 1000 sows.” “The award is a confirmation of Hypor’s breeding excellence combined with straightforward, well-managed farm practices,” Hooijdonk explains. The award is an enormous honour for Hogenkamp and Hypor, shining a light on the impressive stock of the Hypor lines to help farmers achieve great success in their businesses.