Global Ag. Policies: Europe’s Green Agenda, Protests & What North America Needs to Know | Bill Wirtz
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
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Global Ag. Policies: Europe’s Green Agenda, Protests & What North America Needs to Know | Bill Wirtz
Episode Overview:
In this episode, Tracy speaks with Bill Wirtz, Senior Policy Analyst at the Consumer Choice Center, to unpack the current state of European agricultural policies, the rise and recent decline of the "green agenda," and its impact on agriculture, trade, and food systems. We explore Europe's experience and discuss how similar trends may start to impact North America.Key Topics Covered:
- European Agricultural Policy Landscape
- European Farmers Pushing Back Against Policies
- Why Europe Is Ahead of North America on Green Policies
- The United States' Agricultural Policy under the Trump Administration
- gricultural Policy in Canada and Recent Resignation of Prime Minister
- The Impact of Green Policies on Food Choices
- Advice for North American Farmers Watching European Trends
- What to Watch for in the Coming Years
Detailed Show Notes:
European Agricultural Policy Landscape: Tracy asks Bill to give our audience an overview on European agricultural policy, starting with the Paris Accord, while tracing its roots back to the Kyoto Protocol. With so many terms floating around—Green Agenda, Green New Deal, Agenda 2030, Farm to Fork, and more—Tracy asks Bill to break them down and help connect the dots, offering a clearer picture of the environmental movement and its origins, which are shaping Europe’s agricultural policies with a focus on sustainability and climate goals.
European Farmers Pushing Back Against Policies: Bill talks about the increasing backlash from European farmers against restrictive policies, including product bans, land set-aside programs, Dutch farm buybacks, fuel and farm insurance hikes, and the latest farm inheritance tax. These policies have sparked widespread protests across the continent, and while farm protests have always been common in Europe, they have become increasingly more prevalent in recent years.
Why Europe Is Ahead of North America on Green Policies: Bill explores why Europe is implementing green agricultural policies faster than North America and whether similar policies will emerge in the U.S. and Canada.
The United States' Agricultural Policy under the Trump Administration: Bill provides insights into how Trump's agricultural policies may affect U.S. farmers, particularly regarding regulation, trade, and environmental standards. He also discusses the growing concerns around the Trump administration's agricultural policies, particularly regarding regulatory shifts and the potential impact on U.S. farming practices. He also touches on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s push to ban agricultural chemicals and anything he deems unhealthy. RFK Jr.'s position has sparked debate, as his proposals could significantly alter farming practices by restricting the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals, raising questions about their long-term impact on food production and farmer livelihoods.
Agricultural Policy in Canada: Tracy and Bill discuss Canada’s agricultural policies, including the government’s receptiveness to pro-trade and innovation arguments, the resignation of Prime Minister Trudeau, and the recent withdrawal of six national crop organizations from Canada’s sustainable agriculture strategy.
The Impact of Green Policies on Food Choices: Bill highlights how Europe’s green policies affect consumer food choices, comparing the differences in food systems, prices, and availability between Europe and North America.
Advice for North American Farmers Watching European Trends: Bill shares key advice for North American farmers on how to avoid the regulatory pitfalls seen in European agriculture.
What to Watch for in the Coming Years: Bill offers insights on the future of agriculture and green policies, identifying key developments North American farmers should be watching in the next few years.
Tune in to this episode for a deep dive into Europe’s green agricultural policies, the growing backlash from farmers, and what North American farmers and consumers need to know as these trends begin to cross the Atlantic.
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Bill’s Winter 2025 Canadian Speaking Engagements:
CrossRoads: Alberta’s Crop Conference
📍 Edmonton, Alberta
📆 January 28 & 29, 2025
🌐 https://crossroadscropconference.ca
CropConnect Conference 2025
📍 Winnipeg, Manitoba
📆 February 12-13, 2025
🌐 https://cropconnectconference.ca
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Additional Resources
- Consumer Choice Center: https://consumerchoicecenter.org
- Farm to Fork Strategy: https://food.ec.europa.eu/horizontal-topics/farm-fork-strategy_en
- The Paris Agreement (also called the Paris Accords or Paris Climate Accords): https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement
- Canadian Crop Organizations' Withdrawal from Sustainable Ag Strategy: https://www.realagriculture.com/2024/12/federal-governments-sustainable-ag-strategy-suffers-setback-as-six-national-crop-organizations-withdraw/#:~:text=RealAgriculture%20has%20confirmed%20the%20Canadian,from%20the%20SAS%20advisory%20committee
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Contact & Follow:
- Bill Wirtz on Twitter: [@wirtzbill]
- Consumer Choice Center: [@ConsumerChoiceC]
Show Guest: Bill Wirtz
Senior Policy Analyst / Consumer Choice Center
Bill Wirtz is the senior policy analyst for the Consumer Choice Center. He focuses specifically on evidence-based policy-making, agricultural and trade policy, as well as lifestyle choice.
Originally from Luxembourg, he publishes in German, French, and English. He has appeared in Fox News, Sky News, Le Monde, Times of London, Le Figaro, Die Welt, The Hill, and other major news outlets in the world.
Bill also runs the weekly European CCC podcast “ConsEUmer” and produced the CCC’s first podcast series “Fun Police”.
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* Disclaimer - As always, this information is not intended to provide business or medical advice. To ensure that your own circumstances have been properly considered and that action is taken based on the latest information available, you should obtain professional advice from qualified business or medical professionals before acting on any of the information in this post.
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