Archive for October, 2012

On the evening of October 4, in a ceremony at Casa Vetro, in Porto Alegre-RS, the winners of the Massey Ferguson Journalism Award 2012 were announced.  The event gathered journalists from all over Brazil who stood out for their commitment and quality in publishing news on South American and Brazilian agribusiness, as well as media professionals of Rio Grande do Sul and executives of Massey Ferguson and AGCO.

During the ceremony the senior vice president and general manager of AGCO for South America, André Carioba, and the marketing director of AGCO, Fábio Piltcher, highlighted the record of submissions in 2012: 287 work pieces. They also spoke about the challenge of breaking barriers in the journalism specialized in agribusiness. “Social networks work today with the immediacy of information, so journalists have strong competition and need to make use not only of originality, but also of the creative ability to keep journalism alive and interesting to the reader,” said Fabio Piltcher.

“The first edition of the Award had only 34 entries. In 2012, there was almost 300. The goal at the time was to honor the talent and dedication of media professionals that recorded the history of Brazilian agriculture,” Carioba recalls. “Today, the pieces submitted go beyond that; they bring information on technology to improve field activities, update farmers on the global agricultural scenario, how this scenario will impact their business and how some experiences may facilitate their work, besides adding value to the product and consequently to the farmer’s business,” concluded the executive.

The finalists stood out for their originality of theme, research, argumentation, relevance for agribusiness, structure and even interactivity in the case of Internet use. “The pieces submitted presented very high standard, I followed other editions of the Award and it is noticeable that journalists have been increasingly engaged year after year,” said Carlos Henrique Carvalho, head of the panel and executive president of the Brazilian Association of Communication Agencies (ABRACOM).

“We appreciate the participation of all journalists that allowed the record number of entries this year. We congratulate everyone for the effort, dedication and contribution to Brazilian agribusiness,” concluded Eduardo Nunes, manager of marketing and communications of AGCO for South America.

São Paulo topped the ranking of states with the highest number of submissions, 37%, followed by Rio Grande do Sul with 18%, and in third place Goiás with 9% of the journalists who competed for the R$10 thousand prizes.

Get to know now the winners of the Massey Ferguson Journalism Award 2012:

Internet Category

Andriolli de Brites da Costa from Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), with the work “History of the Breed: Nellore” published on the portal Rural Centro on July 8, 2011.

Photography Category

Valdemir Magalhães Cunha from São Paulo(SP), with the work “Late Cocoa” Globo Rural magazine published on November 20, 2011.

Newspaper Category

Luiz Silveira from São Paulo (SP), with the work “Agriculture seeks a way out to keep pace with productivity” published in the Brasil Econômico newspaper on February 21, 2012.

Magazine Category

Denise Sauressig from Porto Alegre (RS) with the work “Management, The rural business in good hands” published in the magazine A Granja on September 1^st, 2012.

TV Category

Cesar Dassié from São Paulo (SP) with the work “Rural roads”, shown in the program Globo Rural, at Globo on March 20.

Students Category

Thaís Bianchin Goes from Nuporanga (SP) with the work “Organic Coffee: from crop to cup – Challenge and passion in the art of producing very special grains” published on July 7, 2011.

Mercosul Category

Roderick Mac Lean from Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the work “Las huellas de los alimentos” published on the blog Faros Largos on July 8,2011.

Following up on our recent blog post about the importance of end-of-season maintenance we are now sharing with you our baler checklist. Just a few simple steps before storing your machine for the winter are keys to reliable machine performance and long life.

Justin James, Darryl Serafin (Owner and Director), Robert Zappala and Bryce Martyn

Celebrated for its rich agricultural industries, vineyards, orchards and cereal production, Griffith situated in South Western New South Wales, has a new full line AGCO dealer for the town and surrounding areas.

At an evening event marking the beginning of the company’s promising new relationship with AGCO were 130 local guests and AGCO representatives from management, sales and technical support.

From humble beginnings in 1996, well-known local Darryl Serafin has built a successful business offering outstanding service and support for different tractor and machinery brands while developing extensive experience in the Australian agricultural industry.

His awareness of different challenges and factors affecting farming practices has made Serafin Ag Pro the success it is today. With 22 experienced and fully equipped staff, Darryl and his team understand the importance and urgency of ensuring customers continue to operate in the field.

Previously a dealer for various other tractor  brands, Serafin Ag Pro is now on board with AGCO and can supply recognised major brands including Massey Ferguson, Challenger, Fendt, Gleaner and Iseki.

Maintaining farm sustainability for a small agribusiness

Sinar Utara Agrofarm (SUA), a small Malaysia-based farm that breeds over 100 goats and is host to a six-acre plantation orchard has always been an advocate of farm sustainability. We started this focus some four years ago. Central to this effort is our emphasis on a zero-waste concept. On our farm, the zero-waste concept is driven by recycling elements, which is acutely orchestrated through effective farming dispositions.

Here, the waste or residue from sugar cane and Napier grass are turned into compost used to maintain the soil humidity during hot or drought season. As the country resides within the tropical climate demography, embracing hot and humid season throughout the year, this practical approach is highly beneficial. The residue, made up of organic matters, self decompose into nutrient-rich compost which makes it a fitting conditioner that keeps the soil moist. Mobilizing the farm-generated materials back into its operating fold truly defines SUA’s ratifying commitment to sustainable farming. It has also benefits the farm by keeping the expenses at a minimum, bolstering optimization of resources, and aiding creation of healthy farming environment.

AGCO Corporation was one of the private sector organizations that was invited to attend the Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Tanzania Arusha, from September 26th to 28th, 2012 at Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge in the continued effort to grow our investment and engagement in African.

The African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) focuses on promoting investments and policy support for driving agricultural productivity and income growth for African farmers in an environmentally sustainable way. Principle strategic partners include AGRA, Yara International, the Africa Union and NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency.

The forum brings together African Heads of State, ministers, private agribusiness firms, financial institutions, farmers, NGOs, civil society organizations and scientists to discuss and develop concrete investment plans for scaling agricultural development success in Africa.

Some key speakers at the forum include Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Chair Melinda Gates, Chairman of the Board, former Secretary General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kofi Annan, Nigerian Minister of Agriculture Hon. Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and lots more.

Some of the notable topics that are discussed during the forum include leadership policy, revolutionizing African agricultural finance models, strengthening markets, and transforming African agriculture through innovative partnerships.

This meeting is the next milestone in developing African-led food security solutions, following the recent G8 Summit where global leaders including 21 African countries and 27 private sector companies committed $3 billion to a New Alliance for Food Securi and Nutrition, launching the next phase of the global food security effort to raise 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years.

This forum will be setting the stage for Africa’s leaders to drive the initiative by promoting investments and policy support to increase agricultural productivity and income growth for African farmers.

The forum will remain focused on unlocking Africa’s agricultural potential by empowering smallholder farmers across the continent. By collaborating with farmer’s organizations, civil society and other partners, the discussion will explore new ways to provide resources, overcome challenges and improve yields for the millions of farmers who are working less than two hectares of land across the continent.