15 ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER AUGUST 2024 were or the outsized impact one or two large farmers could have on global markets, even when making seemingly small business decisions. AN ENVIRONMENTAL MODEL? Brazil is often associated with deforestation and ecological destruction, particularly in the Amazon. This is not incorrect, although reality is (predictably) more complicated. The latter half of the 20th century saw concerted efforts by Brazil’s public and private sectors – the line between them likely blurred during periods of dictatorship – to conquer the forest for agriculture. As one speaker described, this led to very high levels of deforestation and served as the basis on which much of the world views Brazilian agriculture. For many years, however, the national government has enforced regulations preserving significant portions of the country’s natural landscape. In the Amazon basin, for example, landowners are required to keep a minimum of 80 per cent of their land under forest. In Mato Grosso do Sul, the minimum requirement is 20 per cent. Maintaining Permanent Preservation Areas along slopes, waterways, and mountaintops is also required. How this plays out on the ground is surely complex, and both legal and illegal deforestation were cited as ongoing challenges. Regardless, the fact that Brazilians long ago identified nature preservation as critical to their nation and its global brand is forward-thinking. More than one conference speaker highlighted Brazil’s emphasis on biodiversity and significantly greater investment in biofuels as an alternative to carbonfocused policies. Carbon was identified as a “northern hemisphere issue” several times. Given that my Nuffield research topic focuses on environmental restoration, I found this perspective intriguing and, perhaps, a potentially useful approach to solving a variety of environmental problems at home. • NUFFIELD SCHOLARS TOURED BRAZILIAN FARMS IN MARCH. (PHOTO: MATT MCINTOSH).
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