"Outtakes and Observations" documents the international travels of the LSU Ag Leadership Program, and a tribute to its original writer, Michael Danna. Mike loved traveling the world with each class and blogged from all corners of the globe starting with his trip to South America as a member of Class VIII in 2004. Mike lost his third battle with cancer on March 6, 2015, but his work continues here. Members of each class will offer their thoughts and insights during their travels, so check back often as we honor Mike’s memory and look forward to the future leadership of Louisiana agriculture.
By Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations
Let’s begin with women in agriculture. Over the last 24 years more than three dozen women have been a part of the LSU AgLeadership Development Program. Over the years these women have been an active, effective voice for the state’s farmers and ranchers. Some are full time production farmers, others work in ag support industries, but all have made a commitment to furthering the success of Louisiana agriculture.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
When the LSU AgLeadership Development Program was conceived 24 years ago its mission was as complex as it was simple: develop farm leaders. Those three words over the last two-and-a-half decades have come to define the program and its success. But what makes Class XII different is that it’s what I call something of a legacy class.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
One of the downsides to many of these AgLeadership tours is the time it takes to get from one farm visit to the next. The upside is that the hours spent on the tour bus, or waiting for the next flight, gives me an opportunity to visit with some of the class members to find out more about them, their families and their farming operations.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
What if you had the capacity to produce high-yielding cattle, wheat, corn and soybeans, but had to wait for the government to give you permission to sell your crops? That’s kind of the predicament Alejandro Calderon finds himself in. It seems Argentina, in an effort to keep food prices low to its citizens, mandates that corn and wheat farmers only market their crop as part of the domestic food supply.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
Buenos Aires is one of the largest cities in South America. And as the largest city in Argentina, you’d expect it to have a McDonald’s. But would you expect it to have an English-speaking customer’s only line?
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
If four hours in an airport was the same as four hours in a dentist’s chair, no one would every worry about missing a flight.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
One of the things I enjoy most about my job is being able to give back to the farmers and ranchers who’ve given so much to me over my 26 years with the Farm Bureau.
Read MoreBy Neil Melançon
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Assistant Director
Class XII started its touring day Friday, January 27 with a visit to the forestry stands of Forestal Mininco, a division of Empresas CMPC S.A. With more than 1.2 million acres of timberland across Latin America, it is the second largest such company in South America, with shareholders across the globe.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
There’s a prevailing thought among some U.S. farmers that American agriculture isn’t competitive when it comes to labor. China has tens of millions of $2 a day farm laborers to work its crops. In Thailand, India, Vietnam and similar countries it’s the same thing. But on Thursday AgLeadership Class 12 found that cheap labor has done little to improve Chilean rice production.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
Chile’ knows fruit. It’s pretty keen on vegetables too. The first thing you learn about Chile’ is that for a small country it has big ambitions. A leader in world fruit production, the country is the fourth largest supplier of wine globally and ships hundreds of millions of boxes of fruit, worth hundreds of billions to the U.S. every year.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
After an uneventful eight hours in the air, LSU AgLeadership Class 12 touched down at 6:55 a.m. Santiago time (3:55 a.m. CST) in the capital city of Chile. While a few class members were able to sleep on the plane, many had a restless, fitful night. And after a brief check in at the Torremayor Hotel, it was on to the U.S. Embassy to begin our 10-day tour of South America.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
If there’s one thing Louisiana farmers know about, it’s drought. Last year Louisiana farmers and ranchers lost more than $250 million in crop and livestock production to cracked soil and parched pastures. Weather is and always will be the dominant factor in the profitability of global agriculture.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
Any journey of exploration must always begin with a plan. And a suitcase that weighs 50 pounds or less. I trust you’re all making final preparations for our departure to Chile and Argentina Jan. 23. It’s going to be a great trip and I’m looking forward to traveling with each of you.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
On behalf of Jim Monroe I want to say thanks again for allowing us to travel with Class XI and experience Brazil with each of you. Personally, I thought it was a great trip, one we’ll remember always. I want to thank Dr. Soileau for his patience and guidance during our 12 days in Brazil. He knows his job and we’re all better people for it. It takes a lot to coordinate a trip like ours. The man took care of business and still found the time to interact with each of us, making sure we were OK and offering assistance. That’s class, pure and simple.
Read MoreBy 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.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
Monday we heard a presentation on Brazilian ethanol production from professors at the University of Sao Paulo’s College of Agriculture and private industry sector execs. One of those presentations was by officials from Cosan, a sugar and ethanol cooperative that has vertically integrated the manufacturing process to include growing, harvesting and processing of sugarcane-based ethanol.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
Greetings and happy Sunday from Rio. For those of you who have traveled abroad, you know things are different when you leave the states. As American’s we’re used to taking things for granted, like hot water, safe food, people who speak our language and, most importantly, high speed internet service.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
Classes 9 and 10 stood on the Great Wall of China. Previous classes have trekked across Vietnam, Europe and South America. Saturday we visited the Christ the Redeemer Statue, atop Corcovada Mountain in Rio. The statue is considered by the Brazilians to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. And while that might be open to interpretation, the statue is nothing short of spectacular.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
At the half way point in our trip we’re all beginning to feel the affects of long days and short nights. But that’s what these trips are always like; “run and gun” as we say in the farm TV news business. Saturday will be a bit of welcomed R&R. We’ll visit the Christ the Redeemer Statue, a towering sculpture that rises 100 feet atop the Corcovado Mountain. We’ll get there by tram.
Read MoreBy Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
This tour of Brazil marks my forth time traveling abroad with members of the LSU AgLeadership Development Program. Jim Monroe, who’s been shooting many of the photos and helping to produce the Brazilian edition of “This Week in Louisiana Agriculture,” has made three such trips.
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