ing. M (Marcel) Tramper

Marcel Tramper

'I have been affiliated with Wageningen Plant Research for 25 years, when I came to Rusthoeve as a researcher. I started working as a location manager following the amalgamation of the Rusthoeve and Westmaas locations, and this has been my role for over 20 years now. In my youth, I spent a lot of time working on my family's farm, so my link to the sector goes back many decades and is reinforced by my studies at HAS University of Applied Sciences.

I am responsible for the Westmaas practice company and experimental farm, which is 80 hectares in size. Around 60 hectares is for arable crops, while the rest is reserved for experiments with arable and field crops. The clay soil in Westmaas makes it the site with the heaviest ground, which is a fantastic challenge for me and my team. In Westmaas, we also have storage facilities for experiments, mainly with potatoes. As location manager, I am responsible for the day-to-day supervision of our team, distribution of the work, planning and scheduling, preparation, purchasing and financial matters.

Naturally, the Westmaas practice company and experimental farm is known for its potatoes. This is reinforced by the biannual Potato Demo Day and the Wageningen Potato Centre (WPC), both of which I'm closely involved in. Every Potato Demo Day is bigger and better than the companies want to be part of the event and attendees learn about the very latest developments and products. We are very proud of the event. Thanks to the WPC, we have developed strong ties with the business sector, forging a mutually beneficial relationship. Nearly 100% of Westmaas' operations are funded by commercial experiments, and it's important to me that we invest in this relationship and continue to collaboratively boost the quality of the cultivation and processing of potatoes.'