Tamandua News - January 2003

BioFach-Brasil Seminar took place at Fazenda Tamanduá

The 12^th seminar of the BioFach-Brasil Project was held on November 29 at Tamanduá Farm. The purpose of this cycle of seminars held throughout Brazil, addressing themes connected with the production, sales and challenges of organic farming in the country, is the development of the domestic organic market. This event had a very good audience, with over 70 people attending; and, with the effective support of Banco do Nordeste and SEBRAE (the small entrepreneurs’ support service), its results were considered very positive by those who took part.

There is no space to mention names, but the presence was recorded of people responsible for SEBRAE, for INCRA (National Agrarian Reform Institute) settlements, for the Technological Complex of Campina Grande University, for the EMBRAPA Cotton Research Center, for FETAG and for Banco do Nordeste, in addition to local producers interested in organic farming – a very rich sample of people and entities responsible for the sphere of sustainable development in the North-Eastern region of Brazil.

Two visitors came from the South of the country specially to take part in this event: Mr. Octávio Mello Alvarenga, President of the Rio de Janeiro National Agricultural Society, and the entrepreneur Cláudio Guimarães, owner of King of Palms, an organic palm heart producer located in the State of Amapá.

More than 70 people attended the Seminar

Pierre Landolt welcoming the participants

The program included the following presentations :

- an introduction by Pierre Landolt;

- a presentation on the mango production system carried out in the semi-arid climate of Tamanduá Farm, given by Dr. Richard Charity, organic consultant to Mocó Agropecuária;

- an address by Mr. Márcio Araujo, of INCRA, entitled: "Agrarian Reform with Sustainable Development – the secret of managing settlements".

Finally, Manoel Zacarias de Lima, the owner of a small farm on the banks of the Coremas Reservoir, explained why he had decided to plant 5 hectares of organic mango trees, relying on the techniques and sales capacity of Mocó Agropecuária Ltda.

After the talks and the subsequent questions, a "rubacão" – a typical dish of rice and beans – was served, giving the opportunity for a constructive, original and relaxed exchange of opinions on the themes addressed, as well as the exchange of experiences and the organic philosophy in general.

Packing house

Participants then visited the installations, such as the packing-house at full operation and its cold store, the mango dehydration section, and finally the mango tree plantation, where Richard Charity gave an on-the-spot explanation of the necessary details to an already reduced, but very curious public.

Some of the participants went to watch the milking of the cows and to learn about the organic handling of dairy cattle, duly informed by Alan, the vet.

Richard Charity explaining in loco

Without further delay, we may say that the impact was positive :
	Several owners of farms within the DNOCS irrigated areas, led by the Agricultural Engineer Francisco Soares de Lima, Chico Velho, showed great interest in testing melon growing in the organic manner – in order to have another option for production, and one that is highly valued both in the domestic and international markets – and received the details of the respective production system;
	We received an invitation from the Rotary Club to give an address on organic agriculture, at an important meeting to be held in March, which will be attended by more than 200 people;
	The cotton producers in the INCRA settlements realized the strength of the organic movement and market opportunities; and the EMBRAPA National Cotton Research Center decided to pursue the certification of settlement areas, as well as its own area, assisted by Richard Charity ;
	Mango producers whose land is in the conversion phase – such as Dr. Clovis Nobrega, from São Mamede – or who have recently implemented organic growing, felt very reassured by learning more about the organic world and the infrastructure of Tamanduá Farm.
The only negative aspect was that the event did not raise the interest of supermarket chains based in Patos or in the North-East. Even though they are customers, especially for our cheeses, they did not attend.
It remains for us to congratulate Bia and Rosina, of the Planeta Orgânico website, who are responsible for organizing the BioFach-Brasil, for their exemplary work, their support and care so that this event could be held in perfect order, and to thank all involved for their presence and active participation.

The launching of Ricotta, another type of cheese approved by both the Ministry of Agriculture and the IBD.

Tamanduá Farm is proud to have succeeded in launching its RICOTTA – another organic cheese certified by the SIF and the IBD – in the North-Eastern market.

Ricotta, which originated in the Mediterranean region, especially Southern Italy, is a cheese with a delicate and pleasant texture and a neutral flavor, and may be added to sweet and savory foods. Being a fresh product which is highly nutritious and very easily digested, it may be better tolerated by people who dislike milk and is recommended for use in diets and even by diabetics.

Ricotta is obtained from milk whey, by protein precipitation achieved by heating and acidification, thus enabling better use of whey from the cheeses produced on the Farm.

Fazenda Tamanduá's Ricota Cheese

Alan receives his title of Veterinary Doctor

Alan Glayboon de Freitas Oliveira, who graduated in Veterinary Medicine at the Center for Rural Health and Technology of Campina Grande Federal University, received the title of Veterinarian on December 20, at a ceremony held at the Miguel Sátiro Forum in Patos. Being an excellent student, he obtained first place among those who graduated in the course’s 2002.1 class.

After a supervised curricular traineeship accomplished with us, he was hired a few months ago to take care of the whole process of milk production at Tamanduá Farm.

In fact, after Rosália, the food engineer who reorganized the cheese factory, left to accompany her husband, who was appointed a Judge in the State of Piauí, this new post was created, allowing one to have a global view and perfect control of the whole dairy production process. This encompasses both the herd’s health and the hygiene and quality of the milk, as well as the cheese production technology.

Alan Glayboon de Freitas Oliveira

Aware of the opportunity and the challenge, Alan enthusiastically accepted the norms for organic dairy cattle raising, and in this respect he has the support and guidance of our consultant, Luiz Henrique Witzler, of the firm Orion Consultores Orgânicos Associados, of Botucatu, State of São Paulo.

Congratulations, Doctor Alan !