Applications open for tour to Brussels and Amsterdam.

Iowa Farm Bureau members have an opportunity to gain first-hand insights about the impacts of the European Union’s climate policies on agriculture during an exclusive market study tour to Brussels and the Netherlands next June.

The tour, which takes place June 7-15, 2025, will offer opportunities to engage directly with EU agricultural policy organizations and meet farmers affected by EU climate policies, such as the European Green Deal, the European Climate Law and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50%.

“Our primary goal is to learn as much as we can about the EU climate policy process that occurred without real farmer input in order to help Iowa farmers stay ahead of that type of policy stateside,” says Christopher Pudenz, Iowa Farm Bureau’s economics and research manager who is leading the study tour. “We’re crafting every aspect of this trip to provide Farm Bureau members with first-hand stories — and warnings — about European policy to share with fellow farmers, communities and policymakers back home.”

Widespread farmer protests have emerged throughout the EU in reaction to measures that have been proposed to reduce carbon emissions, such as forced reductions of livestock herds and restrictions on land usage. 

“The farmer protests erupted first in the Netherlands — we all saw pictures of tractors clogging up the highways during the now-famous Dutch farmer protests,” says Pudenz. “It birthed a significant political movement that has changed the direction of climate policy in the Netherlands, and also the EU more broadly.”

The climate policies also have implications for agriculture beyond the EU, including trade restrictions and stringent record-keeping requirements to ensure imports meet EU standards. The deforestation reporting requirements, for example, would impact U.S. soybean and cattle farmers. The European Commission has proposed a 12-month delay in implementation of the deforestation law, which was slated to go into effect in January 2025, due to concerns from trading partners. 

Tour itinerary

The Market Study Tour starts in Brussels, which is the headquarters of various EU institutions including the European Commission and European Council, part of the EU’s executive branch. 

“Tens of thousands of European Union employees work for these institutions that are located in Brussels. We’re lining up some meetings with policy organizations, and we’ll also be able to observe the enormity of the EU bureaucratic machine,” says Pudenz. 

From there, the study tour travels north to the Netherlands for visits to livestock farms and other key agricultural sites. 

“The Netherlands is a historic agricultural exporting powerhouse, not only in the EU but worldwide,” Pudenz notes. “We’re going to meet with agricultural producers who are impacted by the EU climate policies, with a special focus on dairy and other livestock because of the concern with methane emissions.”

Participants will also visit Royal FloraHolland, the world’s largest flower auction, and Greentech, a horticultural show featuring presentations on robotics and AI, precision farming, and water and energy solutions. 

Other planned visits include a tour of the Keringhuis water management system for an overview of how the Dutch have been leading innovators in sea level management.

The tour will also include visits to several cultural sites, including Grand-Place in Brussels — a UNESCO World Heritage site, the iconic Kinderdijk windmills in Holland and a walking tour of Amsterdam.

Selection process

Participants for the Market Study Tour to Brussels and the Netherlands will be selected based on potential leadership participation in Farm Bureau and other agricultural organizations, communication skills and a willingness to share the information learned with their local communities.

Each participant will be required to pay $2,500 to fund a share of the cost of the tour, which includes round-trip airfare, double-occupancy hotel accommodations and meals. Spouses may apply to be considered for participation and will be charged the full cost of the trip, estimated at $5,800.

All participants must have a valid passport. In addition, applicants should be in good health and able to handle a rigorous travel schedule. 

Participants will be asked to share what they learn on the market study tour through at least three post-trip presentations or outreach events in their local communities, such as Farm Bureau meetings, community or youth organizations, and/or through local media outlets. 

Previous market study tours have traveled to Ukraine, China, Brazil, South Africa, Poland, Australia, the United Kingdom, Texas and California. 

“Members have loved the opportunity to interact with farmers on these trips. If you were to travel to the Netherlands on your own, you might get to see the same tourist sites but you wouldn’t get to go to a dairy farm and interact with Dutch farmers like we’re going to do,” Pudenz says. “And we have implemented several minor changes based on feedback from previous market study tours to make it an even more enjoyable experience.” 

Applications must be submitted by Jan 3, 2025. Space is limited, and early applications are encouraged.

For more information or to apply, visit www.iowafarmbureau.com/tour. ;

Applicants selected for the study tour will be notified in mid-January.