Our agrotechnology vision shared with EU Commissioner Piotr Serafin and his delegation
Our agrotechnology vision shared with EU Commissioner Piotr Serafin and his delegation
At Vanhoucke Machine Engineering, we proudly look back on our recent visit to ILVO in Merelbeke. We had the honour of presenting our experience and innovative technologies to EU Commissioner for Budget Piotr Serafin, Flemish Minister Ben Weyts, and representatives of the European Commission and ILVO.
AgriFoodTEF-project
The Commissioner visited Belgium as part of his ‘listening tour’ across Europe, in preparation for the new European multiannual budget. He wanted to see with his own eyes how European innovation funds in the agrifood sector are already making an impact on the ground. And that impact is real – including for us, as a West Flemish family business committed to innovation and precision technology in agriculture.
As part of the AgriFoodTEF project, supported by the Digital Europe Programme, three companies – including Vanhoucke Machine Engineering – had the opportunity to testify about how European support via ILVO is accelerating innovation. Together with Agriflight (drone flights for agriculture) and United Beet Seeds (drought-tolerant sugar beets), we gave a voice to the companies shaping the agriculture of tomorrow.
During the programme:
🔹 Agriflight demonstrated impressive drone precision
🔹 Vanhoucke Machine Engineering shared its journey in precision farming and robotics
🔹 ILVO highlighted the crucial role of test infrastructure and support in accelerating innovation
I’m impressed.
Our message was clear: thanks to AgriFoodTEF, we can test, improve, and bring our technologies to market faster and more effectively. The support and expertise of ILVO – made possible through European and Flemish funding – offers real added value for us. The fact that we were able to share this with the European Commissioner and Minister Weyts confirms the importance of our approach and ambitions.
The innovations being developed today – in data, robotics, and precision farming – are essential to making agriculture more sustainable in Flanders, across Europe, and around the world. With our machines, we help farmers work more efficiently and with greater precision.
The response from EU Commissioner Serafin at the end was clear:
💬 “I’m impressed.”
At Vanhoucke, we are determined to continue investing – together with ILVO and AgriFoodTEF – in technology that truly makes a difference. Europe is committed to strengthening competitiveness and sustainability, and we are proud to play a leading role in that effort.
Would you like to learn more about how we are contributing to the future of agriculture?
Feel free to contact us – we are happy to share our experiences.
