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

Canada and Mexico Strengthen Agri-food Cooperation under the 2025-2028 Action Plan

Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Heath MacDonald and the Mexico Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, Julio Berdegué, met on Tuesday, October 14 to discuss bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation and trade ties between the two countries. This meeting is part of the Canada–Mexico Action Plan 2025–2028, announced on September 18, 2025, by Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, through which both governments reaffirmed their commitment to advancing a dynamic bilateral agenda aimed at achieving shared objectives over the next three years. Through these actions, Canada and Mexico seek to continue strengthening their role as strategic partners in the global agri-food trade fostering a sustainable, inclusive, and growing sector that enabled agri-food trade between both countries to increase by 50% from 2018 to 2023. During the meeting, both officials emphasized the strategic importance of the Canada–Mexico

U.S. and Canadian Tractor Sales Rise in September 2025

According to recent data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), U.S. sales of agricultural tractors grew 4.1% in September 2025 compared to the year before. U.S. sales of 2-wheel-drive tractors increased 5.1% in the same period.

CJWW news reporter attending International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) conference in Kenya

Keira Miller is the Canadian representative at the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders program, where ten agricultural journalists under the age of 35 are selected to participate in two-day event prior to the main IFAJ conference. She is joined by fellow ag journalists from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Kazahkstan, Liberia and Kenya. More information on the program can be viewed here. CJWW Agriculture Director Neil Billinger spoke to Keira on Tuesday night in Kenya (early afternoon in Saskatchewan) via Microsoft Teams. The conversation covers a wide range of topics including Kenyan cuisine, seeing a zebra up close and the importance of agriculture to a country that relies heavily on domestic farmers to feed the population. The interview is below and so are some of Keira’s photos.  You can also follow her updates on the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation Facebook and Instagram pages. We will speak to Keira again on Sunday just before she departs Keny

RDAR expands grazing program to include virtual fencing

RDAR has expanded its OFCAF rotational grazing program to include virtual fencing — a GPS-based technology helping Alberta producers manage pastures, save labour, and improve sustainability with up to $75,000 in funding support. The new funding stream is designed to help cattle producers adopt “invisible fence” systems that use GPS-enabled collars and base stations to create and manage grazing zones through a computer or smartphone. The collars train livestock to recognize virtual boundaries through sound cues and, if necessary, mild corrective pulses. RDAR says the technology could make rotational grazing easier and more precise, improving soil health and biodiversity while reducing overgrazing and manual labour. Smart system with multi-advantages “Virtual fencing is more than a replacement for wire,” says Richard Hilton, Manager of Stakeholder Relations & Communications, RDAR. “It’s a smart grazing system that gives producers more control, better data, and the flexibility to move

CBRC commits $1.8 million to CDC barley breeding activities

The Canadian Barley Research Coalition (CBRC) announced today it will provide $1.8 million in funding over three years to the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Crop Development Centre (CDC), to extend the core breeding agreement and support the development of varieties with improved agronomics, disease resistance and end-use quality. The CBRC is a collaboration between the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley), Alberta Grains and Manitoba Crop Alliance. “The keys to past success within the CDC barley breeding program have been the skilled staff, our in-house malt and molecular marker labs and the ability to evaluate large numbers of breeding lines. This CBRC funding will support these pillars moving forward,” said Dr. Curtis Pozniak (PhD), director of the Crop Development Centre.  “This renewed investment ensures Western Canadian farmers can expect new barley varieties from a world-class program, keeping barley competitive with improved yield and agronomic benef

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service