At Hazera, we are proud of our dedicated team, which works passionately to provide our growers with the best products. While our products often steal the headlines, it is the Hazera team who are behind our success. Let’s shine the spotlight on Caroline Wagner, a dedicated tomato breeder in the High-Tech TOV segment.
Caroline Wagner has been with Hazera for four years as a tomato breeder in the High-Tech TOV segment. Caroline got her inspiration to pursue a career in agriculture from her uncles, as one was a farmer, the other one helped to build the first course of Agricultural Engineering in Brazil. Her academic journey includes attending an agricultural technical high school, earning a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Agronomy with a specialization in plant breeding, and completing a Doctorate in Science focusing on quantitative genetics. She moved from Brazil in 2008 and has been working in high-tech agriculture since 2012.
What is a common myth about your job or field of expertise?
Caroline shared two myths. One being a fun fact that “plant breeding is one of the oldest professions. Even the Bible mentions it and says that growers saved the best seeds from the best plants for the next season.” Then she continues with the other myth that “breeders are difficult people because of the advanced level of study involved in our work. Some believe we’re “too smart,” but that’s not the case. We’re regular people like anyone else -some better, some worse, but overall, we’re just human like everyone else.”
In your opinion, what is the most important personality strength someone would need to be successful in your job?
According to Caroline, if you want to succeed in her job “you need to be curious and humble, always open to learning from others. It’s essential to understand, accept, and adapt to imperfections because you will make mistakes. If you cannot overcome those challenges, plant breeding may not be the right field for you. You must also have the resilience to handle frustration and work well as part of a team.”
Tell us about a project you’re proud of and why.
“I’m proud of helping Hazera create a breeding strategy for High-Tech tomatoes and leading the implementation of the TOV breeding program. It has been a unique opportunity to define all the needs in terms of technology, people, and working models. Aligning the breeding plan with market needs and being part of the entire process of seeing new varieties from creation to becoming the best option for customers is incredibly satisfying. I feel grateful to work in a place that shares my values of transparency, honesty, and trust, and where my contributions are genuinely appreciated.” Caroline smiled then added, “it’s energizing to collaborate with colleagues across different departments and countries and to know that my work adds value to the team. I’ll never forget the moment when the first plants we bred were ready to go into the greenhouse in Made.”
What does “Hazera – Growing Together” mean to you?
“To me, ‘Growing Together’ is more than a slogan.” Said Caroline. “It’s a vision for collaboration and collective success. Growth should always be a shared journey, whether it’s with colleagues or customers. It’s about working together, not in isolation.”
Tell us something interesting or funny about you most people don’t know.
“When I was a child still living in southern Brazil, I used to mix up the sounds of “V” and “F” in words, just like Dutch people do. Funny enough, I ended up becoming a Dutch citizen, as if it was meant to be. Another lucky coincidence,” Caroline continued “is that I now live just 5 km from where my grandparents used to live for three years during their temporary relocation from Brazil to the Netherlands back in the 1980s.”
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