Huron Expositor, 2005-03-23, Page 3Sports
THE HURON EXPOSITOR. March 23. 2005-3
Local farmer checks out agriculture in Brazil
By Jason Middleton
Expositor Staff
Gaining perspective and
understanding of Brazilian
agriculture and society was
the focus of a two-week trip
attended by RR 4 Seaforth
farmer and Huron County
planner Carol Leeming.
As part of the Advanced
Agricultural Leadership
Program (AALP), Leeming
and 30 other participants
explored many aspects of
the developing nation as
they travelled through its
southern states.
Leeming, a Huron County
planner and egg farmer, said
she was interested in the
program from a rural
planning perspective and
from an agricultural
perspective.
When Leeming arrived in
Brazil early last month, she
said that one of the first
things she noticed was the
language barrier and the
division between the rich
and the poor.
She was also surprised
that farmers in Brazil were
able to get two or three
crops planted a year.
"We were being told that
they plant soy beans,
harvest that, plant corn,
harvest that and then plant
cotton," Leeming said.
She also noticed that a lot
of fanners were using no -till
practices when it came to
managing their fields.
"They have a great
climate, they have good
topography," said Leeming.
When it came to the
equipment farmers were
using, Leeming said, much
of the equipment was
similar to what is used in
Ontario.
"It's high tech," Leeming
said. "They're using the
same technology as we are."
A lot of agricultural
companies have been
researching the types of
soils in Brazil, Leeming
said.
"I think they are figuring
out how to work the soils
better," she said.
Another interesting thing
Leeming noticed while she
was in the country was how
a lot of farmers are involved
in cooperatives.
She said that farmers in
Brazil buy all their products
used in crop or livestock
input from the co-op and
then sell back what they
grow.
Leeming said that she
went to a co-operative
where they processed
potatoes into potato chips.
When it came to exporting
their products, Leeming
said, they have a hard time
shipping out of the country
because of problems at the
ports.
She said that they heard
from an exporter who said
he had to watch over the
products as they are being
loaded to make sure they
get on the right ship.
When it came to farmers
transporting their goods by
re -face
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roads, Leeming said. it was
a challenge for them.
"Their infrastructure is a
loess with their roads and
and very few rails ay s.
Everything was trucked."
she said.
While they were in Brazil,
Leeming said, they visited
many sites including the
Iguacu Falls, a set of
waterfalls made up of 275
different waterway s. and
cities like Sao Palo. Curtiha,
Campinas and Guarapuava.
"Part of the joy of being a
member of this class k
having the opportunity to
explore something in North
America and something
internationally related to
agriculture," Leeming said.
AALP is an executive
development program for
men and women in Ontario
who want to improve their
leadership skills and work
to shape the future of the
agri-food sector and rural
communities.
The program is a 19 -
month executive
development opportunity
which aims to provide agri-
food's future leaders with
the skills, knowledge, broad
perspective and positive
attitude needed for the
future.
Since she began the
course early last year,
Leeming said that she's
grown as a leader after
watching how other people
take charge of situations.
"I think the other thing 1'11
take away is just a bigger
broader understanding of
agriculture," said Leeming.
Jason Middleton photo
Local farmer and Huron County planner Carol Leeming
recently visited in Brazil for two weeks studying the
country's agriculture.
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