The Netherlands — also known as Holland — is the gateway for imports to mainland Europe and a major player in international trade and agricultural production. 

Farm Bureau members from across Iowa explored the country’s ag and cultural sites last week as part of the 2025 Market Study Tour to Brussels and Amersterdam. In total, 27 Farm Bureau members participated in this year’s trip, which included visits with government officials, industry leaders, meat and dairy processors and farmers tending their herds.

“We hit the ground running the minute we landed in Brussels,” said trip organizer Christopher Pudenz, economics and research manager at Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. 

“We had some great meetings there, and after busing to Amsterdam, we visited as many different aspects of Dutch agriculture as we could manage in the time we had.”

European meat...