Tim Bardole of Rippey hops aboard to combine soy in west central Mato Grosso.
Brazil’s Rise in Soy, Corn Production Consequential for Iowa Farmers STORIES AND PHOTOS BY AARON PUTZE, APR
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normous swaths of land in central Brazil, once referred to as a “green desert,” have sprung to life. The transformation has elevated the country of 210 million into an agricultural supercenter holding longterm consequences for Iowa farmers. Travel through Mato Grosso, as a delegation of Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) farmer leaders did in February, and you’ll witness the
24 | APRIL 2022 | IASOYBEANS.COM
equivalent of multiple U.S. growing seasons happening simultaneously. Stand at an intersection in the heart of the Brazilian state and you’ll see soybeans being harvested by a fleet of 10 John Deere combines outfitted with 45-foot drapers. Glance to the left and a four-wheel-drive tractor with a 24-row planter is seeding second-season corn. Behind you, a field of cotton is maturing.
PART 2 OF A 2-PART SERIES
And to your right, more than 12,000 acres of sugar cane are readying to be harvested and processed into ethanol and food and beverage sweetener. Welcome to Brazil, home of 24/7, 365 days-a-year agriculture. “I’m proud of what I do, but it’s difficult not to feel like I’m a failure when seeing the country’s modern and diversified farming operations,” says ISA Director Warren Bachman.
