Agriculture is a Universal Language

By Matt Gwin

LSU Ag Leadership Class XVIII

I’ve been excited for months to embark on our LSU Ag Leadership international trip to Belgium and the Netherlands. I looked forward to trying different foods, experiencing different cultures, and seeing a different approach to agriculture.  

In my search for different, I’ve actually seen so many similarities. The Netherlands is smaller in area than Louisiana and contains 12 provinces. Each province is rich with its own culture. They may have a competitive nature between each province, but they are all proud to be Dutch. Sounds similar to Louisiana. 

Government policy plays a vital role in the Netherlands just like it does in the USA. However, instead of disaster assistance, price support, or financial assistance, the Dutch deal with policy that places strict requirements and/or restrictions on how they can operate their farms. The consistent general message from Dutch producers is that there is a disconnect between policy makers and the agricultural process that feeds their nation. Sounds similar to the message I’ve heard from Louisiana producers. 

We have met several producers on our journey through the Netherlands. Each one unique in their own way, but they all had a prideful smile on their face. They were all welcoming and very excited to show us their operation and equipment. They were eager to share their innovations and thought process on how to make agriculture more efficient, more profitable, and better for their environment. Sounds very similar to Louisiana producers. 

This trip was a humbling experience for me concerning agriculture. Are we as restricted/regulated by government policy as the Dutch? No… not right now. But I think it is vital for us to continue being a unified voice. To continue working closely with our commodity groups and educating policy makers so that WE can create policy that protects the most important infrastructure in our nation. Can we be as “green” as the Dutch in our farming practices? No… not instantly. But I think it is a very important element that needs to be a priority when we are reevaluating our agricultural practices. There will always be room for us to be more efficient, more profitable, and better for our environment… we just need to continue advocating for that direction. Hmm… sounds very similar to agricultural leadership.