Hagelunie and Achmea Farm Insurance – Protected Cropping Industry

Leading glasshouse insurers, Achmea Farm Insurance and Hagelunie, on shared mission to strengthen resilience of Protected Cropping Sector.

Achmea Farm Insurance, a special farm insurer operating in Australia, and Hagelunie, a global provider of greenhouse horticulture insurance, recently joined forces at the Protected Cropping Conference 2025 in Adelaide, Australia, to share insights from the European cropping industry with Australian growers.

Operating under Achmea, one of the world’s largest cooperative insurers serving over 13 million clients worldwide, both brands are united by a shared mission to keep growers growing. Their collaboration reflects a strong commitment to supporting the resilience, sustainability, and growth of the protected cropping sector in Australia and abroad.

Global expertise, local impact

In a pre-recorded address to conference delegates at the recent 2025 Protected Cropping Conference, Marie Groenhof, Director of Greenhouse Horticulture at Hagelunie, explored four key themes shaping Europe’s cropping sector:

• Advancing plant health with innovation
  “A sustainable future for the sector begins with plant health,” said Ms Groenhof. She highlighted how AI-powered platforms developprecision horticulture, improving yields, and reducing environmental impact. Biodiversity strategies, including predatory insects and microbial solutions, are also helping growers strengthen crops naturally.
• Tackling labour challenges with a human-centred approach
  With labour shortages affecting growers globally, sheemphasised the role of automation and robotics in improving efficiency. She stressed that innovation must be paired with efforts to create safe, inclusive, and growth-oriented workplaces to build a sustainable workforce.
• Energy efficiency drives sustainability
  Dutch growers are leading the way toward climate neutrality by 2040, adopting technologies such as Led lighting, geothermal systems, and waste-heat recovery. She also discussed emerging solutions like direct air capture (DAC) of CO₂, which could support remote regions and contribute to broader sustainability goals.
• Business continuity through risk prevention
  Hagelunie has long championed proactive risk prevention to ensure greenhouse operations remain resilient. Collaborating with growers, builders, and suppliers, Hagelunie has helped establish global standards through the CASTA system and HortiQ. These include research on air vent positioning during storms, hail-resistant tempered glass, fire-retardant screens, and quality guidelines for lighting, maintenance of water silos, and electrical inspections. Hagelunie also co-developed ISSO standards 86, 87, and 88 for greenhouse construction, heating, and irrigation.

Turning Moments of Truth into Moments of Trust – Keeping Growers Growing

When disaster strikes, the strength of partnerships between growers and their insurers can make an important difference when it comes to business continuity. Ms Groenhof highlighted Hagelunie’s rapid response to clients throughout Europe and its role in supporting Achmea Farm Insurance’s efforts in Australia.

Hagelunie operates across worldwide , while Achmea Farm Insurance serves growers in Australia. Guided by Achmea’s co-operative approach to insurance, both brands focus on long-term partnerships, proactive risk prevention, and business continuity to keep growers growing. Together, we help build resilience, and when a claim does occur, our role is to turn that moment of truth into a moment of trust,” said Ms Groenhof.

This shared commitment reflects Achmea’s broader vision of Sustainable Living Together, the Achmea Way — supporting growers not only through insurance, but also by sharing knowledge and fostering collaboration, thereby contributing to a more sustainable future for agricultural communities.

Local Commitment, Global Strength

Glenn Rosbrook, Chief Client Officer at Achmea Farm Insurance, added, ““Our collaboration with Hagelunie brings world-class expertise to Australian growers, backed by deep local understanding. Together, we’re helping protect and empower the future of the protected cropping sector,” he said.