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Beef study tour heads to South America in February
July 31, 2009 -- From MSU News Service
BOZEMAN -- People who want to learn about beef cattle production systems in Argentina and Brazil can sign up through Sept. 30 for the 2010 Beef Study Tour to South America. The Feb. 2-15 tour is sponsored by the Montana Beef Quality Assurance program and BEEF magazine.
"In today's global marketplace, cattlemen need to know what the competition is up to and how they're doing it," said Clint Peck of Billings, BQA director."We've developed an itinerary that'll give beef producers around the U.S. the best possible look at beef systems in these two agricultural powerhouses."
Peck and Joe Roybal of Minneapolis, editor of BEEF, will lead the tour along with travel coordinator Renata Stephens of Brazilian Liaison in Long Lake, Minn. Stephens is a Brazilian native who has extensive experience in South American agricultural excursions.
Tour participants will visit a variety of cattle ranching and feeding operations in Brazil's west-central subtropical cattle farming regions and in Argentina's temperate climate. Highlights will include an Argentine cattle feeding operation and a Brazilian meat packing plant. Among the other stops will be a federal beef cattle research center and a high-tech cattle seedstock operation.
"The purpose is to learn about the challenges and opportunities facing South American ranchers as competitors in international markets," Peck said. "Participants will have a first-hand look at their strengths and weaknesses - as well as their lives and lifestyles."
Besides the agricultural settings, tour participants will visit world-class sites in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The tour will cost an estimated $5,500 per person (double occupancy and based on 25 participants), which includes all international airfare, in-country air and motor coach transportation, 12 nights of business-class lodging and most meals - along with local guides and translators.
For more information, contact Renata Stephens at renata@brazilianliaison.com or call (763) 972-8080. A tour itinerary can be viewed at www.brazilianliaison.com
Evelyn Boswell, (406) 994-5135 or evelynb@montana.edu
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