Jacquelien Lenferink

Discovering where my passion lies

I grew up on a farm, but I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to study. Despite my agricultural background, I kept asking myself: do I really want this, or do I just think I want it because I grew up with it? So I decided to try something completely different first: I started studying healthcare. 

But during my first exams, right in the middle of harvest season, I thought: I’m sitting here studying for exams about things that don’t interest me at all, while outside everything is happening where I actually want to be. That was a real eye-opener. 

“I want to do what’s within my power to contribute to the global food challenge.” 

So I decided to follow my brother’s example and study Business Administration & Agrifoodbusiness in Dronten. But before starting, I wanted to do something where I would really experience something meaningful. Through connections, I ended up working on a dairy farm in Texas with 1,200 cows. It was exciting, and I learned an incredible amount. That’s where I knew for sure: my heart lies in agri & food, and I want to contribute to the food challenge in whatever way I can. 

Space to explore

My start at Nedap was through a traineeship. Initially, I applied for a role within the innovation team. The role really appealed to me, but I lacked the experience. Still, I thought: why not just try? I didn’t get the role, but there was clearly a good match. After several conversations, that turned into a traineeship within Livestock. 

During that time, I worked with colleagues from different teams. Eventually I chose product management, because at that moment it was the closest to the end user. I did that for over three years. 

That complexity fascinates me

Last January, I started a new role as Project Manager for the XL segment: large, complex dairy operations. Over the past few years, it has become increasingly clear that there is much more potential for us in this segment. Things are going well, but we still lose too many deals, even though I’m convinced we have the best product. There’s still a lot of opportunity. 

“Sometimes, when I visit a farm and see a competitor’s system in the barn, I genuinely feel a sting in my heart.” 

This segment fascinates me. Large organizations, multiple locations, large herd sizes. Often the people buying the system are not the same people using it on a daily basis. That makes things more complex and challenging. It requires a different approach than with family farms. 

This is where I wanted to step in

Together with colleagues, I kept bringing this topic up. At some point it became clear: this requires real focus. Someone needed to take responsibility for this customer segment as a Project Manager. I said I would really like to contribute, and I was given that opportunity. 

What I love about this role is how focused it is on the end customer. What does a farmer truly need to be successful? How can they manage their cows well, keep them healthy, and get the most out of our system? It touches everything: our portfolio, the service we provide, and the value we create. 

In this role, everything comes together for me: my agricultural background, my international experience, and my belief that technology can truly make a difference. I want to help take those businesses and those farmers to the next level, so that ultimately their cows benefit as well. 

“And yes, ultimately I just want a Nedap tag on every cow.” 

Working with like-minded people

I work a lot with international teams, particularly the American team. I really enjoy that. Especially connecting them with colleagues in Groenlo, making sure communication lines stay short and that we truly understand each other. 

What helps is that many people within Livestock are intrinsically motivated. It’s not just about technology. It’s about improving life for both farmers and cows. Many of our colleagues come from agricultural backgrounds. They know what it means to take responsibility for a business and for animals. And when you work with like-minded people, you work from the same energy and switch gears easily.  

"That’s what makes working at Nedap Livestock so enjoyable. We work hard together, but we also celebrate together."

Proud! 

What am I most proud of? It comes back to what I said earlier: make a real contribution to the global food challenge. I just think that's incredibly important. And that with our Nedap technology, which is used literally all over the world, we are improving the lives of cows and farmers.