Big agriculture in a small setting. That’s what I’m off to see in Canada! For the next several days I’ll be attending the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation Conference which is hosted by the BC Farm Writers’ Association. We’re going to be in Harrison Hot Springs, BC. The Harrison Hot Springs Resort, on the southern shore of Harrison Lake in the …
BASF and John Deere are German Neighbors
Global agribusiness giants John Deere and BASF are friendly neighbors in Germany, located just over a mile away from each other on opposite sides of the Rhine River. John Deere’s Christoph Wigger, pictured here on the right with BASF’s Markus Heldt, crossed the river to speak at the opening dinner of BASF’s global media event, a literal “United Nations” of …
Foro PAIS Promotes Argentina’s Soy Complex
Foro PAIS – Productores Agro Industriales de Soja – was born in 2011 with the purpose of promoting the Argentine soy agro-industry and we learned more about it during the IFAJ 2013 Congress. Foro PAIS Communications and Institutional Relations Director Dr. Adrián Figueroa says soybean production is a huge industry for Argentina. “Soybean production in Argentina in the last ten …
Argentina’s Export Tariffs
During the IFAJ Congress, I was very surprised to learn that Argentina has export tariffs on a number of agricultural commodities, including corn and soybeans. I understand import tariffs, but export tariffs would seem to do nothing but hurt a country’s agricultural industry. “Argentina has export taxes on almost every product that we export, but in the case of grain …
Ferilizer Use Growing in Argentina
Fertilizer use is on the rise in Argentina, which is a major contributor to increasing yields in that country. We found out more about that during the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) Congress in Argentina. We visited Profertil, a joint venture with Canada’s Agrium and the nation’s largest fertilizer producer. “The use of fertilizer technology has improved a lot,” …
Get Ready for 2014 IFAJ Congress
On to Scotland! It’s the 2014 Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists. I got my passport and I see that Karen Simon has hers. She’s pictured with 2014 Pre-Congress Joint-Chair Adrian Bell. The Congress is being hosted by the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists for an unprecedented sixth time. The them is “Innovations from a Small Island” and …
Wrapping Up 2013 IFAJ Congress
Cindy and I are close to wrapping up our coverage of the 2013 IFAJ Congress in Argentina but not quite done. As we arrived at the airport in Buenos Aires to return home I spent a few minutes with Marcus Rediger, President, IFAJ. Marcus is pictured on the left with Congress President, Carlos Curci Gonzalez. Marcus says he was already …
IFAJ Master Class and Boot Camp
One of the great things about the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) is the professional improvement it offers for up and coming ag journalists all over the world. Alltech sponsors a Young Leader award program that offers an intensive journalistic boot camp-style workshop for 10 promising new journalists from ten different countries. This year’s young leader from the United …
Livestock is Big in Entre Rios Province, Argentina
I think my European twin son of a different mother, the AgroBlogger, said it best in a tweet upon returning from the 2013 IFAJ Congress in Argentina: “Back home for almost two days, but mentally still in this Gaucho-rhythm: Meat, Malbec, Mooh, Meat, Malbec, Mooh… #ifaj2013” For those of us who went on the livestock tour we were really in …
20th Anniversary of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show
The 20th anniversary of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show is underway. Kicking off the event yesterday were Show President Doug Wagner and OMAF Deputy Minister Dr. Deb Stark. If you’ll be attending the show then get the new COFS 2013 App which is now available for Blackberry, Android, iPhone, and tablets! Download it for free at http://cofs.quickmobile.mobi. Users can get a …