Organisation

Ad van Velde is a proud dairy farmer in the Netherlands, a country where many generations of farmers have faced and overcome various challenges related to the dairy business. He developed Hunsingo Dairy, together with his wife Annette, to a successful family dairy operation. A farm that is in harmony with nature, where healthy cows live and have lived for many generations.

As President of Global Dairy Farmers he knows what drives farmers worldwide. Together with the dairy farmers, GDF has been developed into a unique platform. The only worldwide network of dairy farmers. Future-oriented and forward-thinking.

Ad has a lot of experience in the dairy business and is able to practically link changes in regulations and trends happening in society, both locally, nationally and globally, back to day-to-day practices at the farm.

Ad is convinced that cooperation, within the international dairy world, is very important right now. There are so many new developments going on, but also threats and challenges. GDF is the perfect platform to engage with this.

My name is Lidy Brink, born in 1964 in the beautiful region of Twente, the Netherlands. After completing high school, I followed my passion for communication / marketing after graduated from the School of Journalism. I embarked on a career in marketing, and I quickly developed affinity for the technology sector. I have worked as an International Marketing Manager for various large corporations, including Sensata, Malvern Panalytical, Ten Cate Grass, Ascom, and KPN Telecom. I have built an impressive track record in successfully launching high-tech products and services to the market.

While I have gained valuable experience in different industries, I developed a particular fondness for the agricultural sector during my time at Zinpro , especially the dairy industry. I strongly believe in the power of innovation and technology to provide sustainable solutions for the challenges faced by the agricultural industry. My added value in the community of Global Dairy Farmers with industry partners, farmers and science is to connect and facilitate all parties with each of their knowledge, know-how and experiences. I am proud to be part of the GDF Team.

Outside of my professional life, I am a dedicated wife to Gerben, and together we have two university-aged children, Jort and Julia, who bring joy and fulfillment to our lives. We share our home with two cats, adding a touch of coziness to our household.

I am an active and energetic person who enjoys a healthy lifestyle. I love engaging in physical activities such as running, cycling, and working out. I am also passionate about music and enjoy embarking on adventures with our camper.

Overall, I am passionate about my work, committed to my family, and find joy in the simple yet meaningful aspects of life.

As a marketer with a passion for sustainable dairy farming, I strive to connect consumers with the inspiring work of hardworking farmers and businesses that power the industry.

Through the lens of Global Dairy Farmers network, I envision a future where we can create a more sustainable world by highlighting the journey of dairy and exploring innovative solutions for the challenges we discover. 

Let's explore the future of dairy together and discover how we can create a more sustainable tomorrow with the support of Global Dairy Farmers network.

Maria Eugenia del Puerto is a Farmer with a degree in Environmental Administration. She started her professional career 24 years ago in Santa Fé, Argentina, where she founded the company “Las Lecheritas”, a family dairy farm.

As a passionate advocate for sustainable dairy farming and entrepreneurship, I have dedicated my career to these important topics. At Wageningen Economic Research, I primarily work on projects with industry partners to promote sustainability throughout the supply chain.

Since 2006, I have been involved with Global Dairy Farmers, an international network of dairy farmers and related business partners. Together with Bram Prins, I brought the Nuffield program to the Netherlands. The first scholars were selected in 2011, and we have since established a strong network of Nuffield scholars in the country.

As a son of a dairy farmer, I decided to do a bachelor in animal husbandry after secondary school. After this study I worked 18 months for a life insurance company before joining my parents in the dairy farm. For 4 years I was a full time dairy farmer but when one of my brothers also wanted to join I searched for a job, related to agriculture.

I found a position as a researcher at, currently, Wageningen Economic Research where I have been working and still work on a variety of research topics, mainly dealing with business economics of dairy farms. In the meantime I stayed involved in our dairy farm, mainly executing the administrative tasks. At the same time I did a master at Wageningen (agricultural) university and graduated in 1998.

I got involved in Global Dairy Farmers in 2007 on request of Bram Prins, the founder of GDF. I contributed to GDF with some presentations on GDF-congresses, reports concerning congresses and organisational issues. Since some years I am the treasurer of GDF.