I Say Coffee, You Say Cafe’

By Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director

Next to good old-fashioned $2 a bottle water, coffee has to be one of the most consumed beverages in the world.

More than 50 percent of the coffee beans grown on the planet come from Brazil. Take that Juan Valdez, and the burro you rode in on.

Tuesday morning we toured the Tozan Farm, a sprawling hacienda near the heart of Sao Paulo state’s coffee growing region. The plantation has 840 hectares (2,075 aces) in production, growing 1.5 million coffee trees. The coffee plants are bright green, with the fruit, as it’s called, starting to ripen. Tozan, which has been around since 1927, harvests, roasts and packages its own brand called “Café Tozan.” (Hope they didn’t spend a lot on their marketing firm.)

Gregorio Haddad, who led the tour, said Tozan has a long tradition of growing coffee. The plantation began raising the crop in the late 1920s when a Japanese capitalist named Yamamoto bought the farm. During World War II the Brazilian government seized the farm from Yamamoto, but returned it to him after the Allied victory because of his research into coffee varieties was so valuable to the country. 

In the afternoon we visited the U.S. Embassy and Sao Paulo’s largest fruit and vegetable distribution center. Nearly half of all fruits and vegetables consumed in Brazil moves through the market, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (Watch the brief video of the floor of just one of these distribution warehouses and you’ll see why it looks like ants at a summer picnic.)

If you’ve been watching the national news you know it’s been raining heavily here in Brazil. Flooding across the country has been the lead story just about every night here on local news channels. Video shows people stranded and having to be rescued by boat. I don’t want to alarm anyone, but Geraldine is keeping a close eye on the weather. Some roads in and around the Sao Paulo International Airport are closed. She told us Tuesday morning that if the rains are too heavy near the airport Wednesday our flight might be delayed. We haven’t heard any updates at the time this entry was posted, but I’m sure your friends and family here will let you know if plans change.

This will likely be my last post of the trip. Thanks to everyone who kept up with us during our 12 days in Brazil. Class members will return with a broader perspective and a greater understanding of the global agricultural dynamic and their place in it. 

Before I wrap up I want to say thanks to the class members for putting up with me these last two weeks. They all did a great job during their interviews and were all good sports when they saw themselves mentioned or photographed for the blog. A sincere thanks to them all.

Thanks also to Jim Monroe for another fine job of field producing TWILA, as well as his time behind the Nikon lens. His photos will be an indelible memory of our time here in Brazil. And thanks to Farm Bureau President Ronnie Anderson for letting Jim and me travel with this group. Farm Bureau’s support for the AgLeadership Development Program has been one of our top priorities and will remain so for decades to come.

And a special shout-out to my South American and China traveling buddy Dr. Paul Coreil. Paul really wanted to make this trip, but the business of the AgCenter is always his first priority. Paul, we missed you buddy, but we tipped one in your honor.

As with all my blogs during these international tours, this one ends with my “Top 10” list. A few of us, led by Epney Brasher, sat at McDonald’s having ice cream Monday and came up with what we feel are our greatest moments during this trip.

So here they are, the “Top 10 Things You Hear That Let You Know You’re in Brazil.”

10. “There’s been another gate change.”
9. “Snap, snap! AgLeadership! Listen up!”
8. “Our next meal will be a traditional Bar-B-Que.”
7. “You will have a few minutes to go make fresh.”
6. “Did y’all have hot water?”
5. “This has never happened before.”
4. “When you are finished, put it in the basket.”
3. “Does everyone have their passports?” (Everyone does now.)
2. “Hello, hello, hello my friends.”
1. “I only had two beers.”

Leave the porch light on, darling. We’re coming home.

Sao Paulo station… signing off…