Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

AALP Class 13 International Study Tour to Guatemala and Belize - March 4 & 5, 2011

March 4, 2011 - The second last day of our AALP class’s International Study Tour began with a farewell to Chaa Creek and a hello again to Tropic Air. A fantastic day for flying enabled our three planes to take the scenic route from Central Farm to Orange Walk, passing over the famous Routa Maya, a 175 mile, 3 day canoe race through Belize and to loop around a couple more Mayan Temples.


We were greeted at Orange Walk by the Chairman of the Board from the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA), Mr. Alfredo Ortega, directors of the board and newly hired CEO Oscar Alonzo. During a three-hour presentation we learned about the past, present and future of the sugar cane industry of Belize. Some of us were able to draw comparisons with the BSCFA to our Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) and the transitions they have had in the past few years. The BSCFA has two main growing and processing regions in northern Belize and represent 6,000 growers, producing a total of 60,000 acres of cane. The average yield of cane in Belize is 15 tons per acre, which is 1.7 tons of raw sugar. The sugar cane industry is based on a fair trade marketing system, believed to be the best option for the growers here in Belize. In Belize 88 to 90% of the cane is marketed through fair trade and the remainder is used locally. The cane contracts are based out of the EU on a 50,000 ton basis which includes a 60$ US premium under the fair trade agreement. The $60 goes directly to the BSCFA to support their health and safety program, cane quality and environmental footprint reduction programs. They are also focusing on a pesticide safety program similar to Ontario and also on better water quality programs. The BSCFA is in the best shape it has been in a long time and they are convinced of a bright, more environmentally friendly and prosperous future. We then had the opportunity to visit a sugar cane field ready for harvest and to taste test the sweet product.

The class then traveled to Belize City and enjoyed a farewell dinner at the Riverside Restaurant. Where we toasted Rambo and Jose and thanked them for all their help and guiding on this two week travelling adventure.

March 5, 2011 - Our tour of Belize city was cut short due to travel restrictions, therefore Saturday morning was a chance for reflecting on our trip and catching a few last rays before heading to the airport for flight numbers 7 and 8.

AALP Class 13 would like to thank everyone involved in putting this trip together and making it and unforgettable and once in a lifetime experience. Thank-You

Gunther Csoff, Henry Lise, Drew Spoelstra – AALP Class 13

Views: 181

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Falling Number is an Important Indicator of Wheat Quality

Falling Number is a critical test performed to assess wheat quality and the effects of sprout damage. The analytical team at Cereals Canada performs the Falling Number test as part of its routine testing, including its annual New Crop Harvest Assessment, and shares results with customers and buyers of Canadian wheat. “During crop years that have wet harvest conditions, Falling Number testing becomes a priority to ensure the quality and reputation of Canadian wheat is maintained,” says Elaine Sopiwnyk, Cereals Canada vice president of technical services. “Consistently producing high-quality wheat with a desirable Falling Number helps Canada build a good reputation with buyers and processors.” The Falling Number test indirectly measures the activity of the enzyme alpha-amylase in wheat, caused by pre-harvest sprouting. Sprout damage occurs when wet field conditions occur at or near maturity. The kernels absorb moisture and begin to germinate or sprout. Sprouting itself is subject to l

USask researcher honoured with top pulse crop award

The award is presented annually to an individual, company or organization that has made significant contribution to Canada’s pulse and special crops industry. Warkentin is a renowned plant breeder at the Crop Development Centre (CDC) within the USask’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources. He leads the Field Pea and Soybean Crop Breeding and Genetics program as the Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program (SRP) Chair. His research is centered on developing high-performing pea and soybean cultivars tailored for Western Canada and northern U.S. regions. With a strong foundation in both conventional and genomic breeding techniques, Warkentin aims to enhance crop resilience, disease resistance, and end-use quality. His work is instrumental in meeting the evolving needs of the agricultural sector, particularly as demand for plant-based protein continues to rise globally. Through his breeding efforts, he ensures that farmers have access to varieties that are not only producti

Signature Series research podcast: The future of wildfires with Dr. Colin Laroque

Laroque, a professor in USask’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources and the head of the Department of Soil Sciences, is an expert dendrochronologist. In other words, he is an expert in “tree-ring analysis,” which allows him to read the rings of trees to get a better understanding of our environment over years, decades and centuries. In recent years, the number of wildfires in Canada and around the world have increased, with more area being burned and more effort being dedicated to managing them. As Laroque puts it, the environment is changing, but those changes take long periods of time before they can be understood as trends or a “new normal.” For Laroque, the questions are not whether this more regular and severe wildfire season is here to stay, but whether we’ve reached the apex of what the future holds for this “new normal.” On this episode of the USask Signature Series podcast, we answer the question: “What will increasing wildfires do to our environment, and is there a

Saskatchewan Engages With the Mexico and United States on Agricultural Trade and Development

Agriculture Minister Daryl Harrison will lead a trade mission to Mexico to strengthen our trade, research and investment ties with some of Saskatchewan's long-standing Mexican partners and to help companies and industry organizations in the province maintain and strengthen their relationships with Mexican stakeholders. The mission will reinforce the province's international reputation as a reliable supplier of high-quality food, feed and value-added commodities. The mission will also promote research, investment and other collaborative opportunities in Saskatchewan's value-added sector. "Mexico continues to be a vital partner for Saskatchewan, particularly in the agriculture sector," Harrison said. "This mission will open new avenues to promote provincial agriculture export interests, bolster relationships with stakeholders and advance discussions with Mexico on priority agriculture issues." As part of the mission, Minister Harrison will be participating in the 2025 Tri-National Agr

Trade battle puts soybean farmers at risk

The leafy soybean plants reach Caleb Ragland's thighs and are ripe for harvest, but the Kentucky farmer is deeply worried. He doesn't know where he and others like him will sell their crop because China has stopped buying. Beijing, which traditionally has snapped up at least a quarter of all soybeans grown in the United States, is in effect boycotting them in retaliation for the high tariffs President Donald Trump has imposed on Chinese goods and to strengthen its hand in negotiations over a new overall trade deal. It has left American soybean farmers fretting over not only this year's crop but the long-term viability of their businesses, built in part on China's once-insatiable appetite for U.S. beans. “This is a five-alarm fire for our industry,” said Ragland, who leads the American Soybean Association. If no deal is reached soon, some farmers hope the government will come through with aid as it did during Trump's first term, but they see that only as a temporary solution. Trump

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service