Conservation and water quality programs need to be designed to fit each location instead of a one-size-fits-all regulatory approach, Iowa Farm Bureau members saw on a tour stretching from Hannover to Berlin, Germany, last week.

Climate and location each play a role in Germany’s cropping systems and nutrient management practices, the Iowans learned. Members of the Iowa and Illinois Farm Bureaus traveled to Germany to gain a better understanding of Germany’s soil health and nutrient management.

Unlike Iowa, which is a leader in corn and soybean production, Germany’s farmers rely on longer-term crop rotations consisting of crops like...