Farmer’s Weekly Argentina Tour 2014
Farmer’s Weekly joined us on a tour of Argentina to learn more about this country’s agricultural sector. The focus this time was on chicken and cattle production, mixed farming and grain production under No-Till farming as a way of ensuring sustainable production.
Farming in Argentina is based on producing as much as possible while always taking into account the resources available and doing it in such a way that it is sustainable in the long term and that is something that can be defined as leaving better production conditions for future generations as those that we have at present.
Here is an interview with Dr. Ricardo Piccinali discussing the broiler industry in Argentina:
Here Miguel Pertino, an Argentine rancher explains feeding cattle directly from a silobag:
For more information regarding what the Farmer’s Weekly group saw as reported by Lloyd Phillips please see the following links links:
A blog of Lloyd’s opinions of our daily activities: LLoyd Phillips from Farmer’s Weekly visiting Argentina in 2014
The technical details of sustainable grain production in Argentina:
Tango with No-Till in Argentina
Grasstoots no-till in Argentina
Here are some photos of what we lived on the 2014 Farmer’s Weekly Tour:
A summary of the 2014 Farmer’s Weekly Tour of Argentina Itinerary:
Saturday, April 26th 2014:
Arrival to the International Airport in Sao Paulo and transfer to the hotel.
Evening in hotel Sao Paulo
Sunday, April 27th 2014:
Transfer from hotel in Sao Paulo to airport.
Arrival at the Ezeiza International airport in Buenos Aires at 11:35.
Reception by Laurik International staff and transfer to hotel.
Afternoon free.
Evening in Buenos Aires
Monday, April 28th 2014:
After an early breakfast we depart from the city of Buenos Aires at 08:00 and drive north east to the Province of Entre Ríos.
We arrive in the town of Gualeguay mid-morning where we will have the opportunity to see a catlle farm in the area where the farm with Hereford cattle.
After our visit we depart to Concepción del Uruguay where we will overnight.
Tuesday, April 29th 2014:
After an early breakfast we depart to the INTA (Argentine National Agricultural Technology Institute) where we are expected at 08:00 where we will have an opportunity to see and learn more about the research and development that they are doing to improve this multimillion dollar export industry, crucial for this area and the country as a whole.
After lunch we will have the opportunity to visit some commercial farms to see where and how they produce the chickens that are an evermore important export industry for Argentina.
Evening in the city of Rosario
Wednesday, April 30th 2014:
After a short visit to the Rosario Harbour we visit Aapresid for theoretical information regarding No Till and the practical implementation of the Certified Agriculture Project on farms.
We leave the city of Rosario at around 11:00 and depart to the town of Las Parejas where we will have lunch and visit the Apache planter factory. After this visit we travle to Cruz Alta to visit the Pierobon No-Till planting factory and the principles imbedded in their construction.
After the visit we travel to the agricultural city of Venado Tuerto.
Evening in Venado Tuerto
Thursday, May 1st 2014:
Today we visit the top productive region for crop farming in Argentina known as the Pampa Humeda or Wet Pampas where we will have the opportunity to see some of the best agricultural soils in the country where they produce mainly soy and maize crops with a continuous No-Till method.
Evening in Villa María
Friday, May 2nd 2014:
Today we visit a farm in the drier central parts of the province of Córdoba so that our tourmemebers can see how effective and necessary No-Till is on these less-than-optimal soils.
Evening in the city of Córdoba.
Saturday, May 3rd 2014:
After a hearty breakfast we leave for the quiet town of German descendants called Villa General Belgrano where we will have some time to relax, enjoy the beautiful nature and the local cuisine.
Evening in hotel in the city of Córdoba
Sunday, May 4th 2014:
Today we have a long travel ahead of us back to the city of Buenos Aires.
We will stop along the way for a relaxing lunch.
Evening in hotel in Buenos Aires
Monday, May 5th 2014:
After breakfast we visit an Aberdeen Angus stud farm and enjoy our farewell lunch with the farmer.
Tonight is ideal to see one of Buenos Aires’ famous Tango shows.
Evening in hotel in Buenos Aires
Tuesday, May 6th 2014:
We can use the morning for a further exploration of the city or we can arrange for a visit to the Tigre Delta that includes a short boat-ride and a visit to the local crafts market.
Transfer to the international airport in Buenos Aires at 14:00 for flight back to South Africa.