40 GERMINATION.CA JULY 2017 AS THE WORLD’S population is demanding more calories, Brazil is poised to be the powerhouse to meet those demands. Forty per cent of the world’s population will be fed by Brazil's agricultural production, according to Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation).  20/20 Seed Labs business development manager Kevin Zaychuk and I joined the Canadian AgriTech Mission to Brazil in May. The whirlwind week started with a three-hour bus ride inland from São Paulo to Ribeirao Preto for the renowned South American five-day techni- cal Agrishow that is attended by 150,000 people.  The focus on being efficient through technology and taking a “smart” approach was the message I took away from this event, and it made me think of Canada's Seed Synergy initiative and the future of our industry. Brazil has clearly defined its role in addressing the task of feed- ing the world. Brazil’s science and technology investments and other public policies have been crucial for enabling the country to discover its agricultural potential and increase farm IT SEEMS LIKE we are always talking about efficiency and evaluating return on investment. Yet, for years, those in agriculture have also made a living off of quick fixes and ingenuity. While it gets the job done and gets us through one more season, it might not be the safest or the smartest way to conduct field operations or business. Since my specialty area is fuel trailers and tanks, I have an especially keen eye when out and about on the road- ways. I see growers using a slip tank in the back of their truck to fill up equipment, which works if you’re not operating far from base and don’t have multiple machines running through multiple fields. But sometimes, these tanks don’t hold enough or the pump doesn’t fuel fast enough. As an alternative, some growers opt for a non-legal tank on the back of a truck, but this poses a danger on road- ways. These tanks are not intended for that, and the shift- ing weight can be problematic and become a liability issue. The industry has introduced a number of high-quality, safe fuel trailers designed for the needs of agriculture. The new fuel trailers that have come into the market the SEED HEALTH & TESTING BRAZILIAN AG BUILT THROUGH ORDER AND PROGRESS Sarah Foster 20/20 Seed Labs President and Senior Seed Analyst @Sarah2020labs • sarah@2020seedlabs.ca • 2020seedlabs.ca STORAGE & HANDLING HAUL SAFE, BE SAFE Ken Pierson Sales/Product Manager Meridian Manufacturing @pierson_ken • kpierson@meridianmfg.com • meridianmfg.com production. Brazil produces five per cent of the world’s orange juice, 30 per cent of the world’s sugarcane, 20 per cent of the world’s coffee beans, and 30 per cent of the world’s soybean crop. Sugarcane by far is one of the most impressive crops. Sugar production is expected to increase 19.3 per cent to 39.96 million tonnes in 2016/17, due to higher prices for the commodity. Although sugarcane is also used for ethanol and bioelectricity, the focus is on sugar production.  Ethanol production should total around 27.8 bil- lion litres, and is manufactured from leftover fibres, stalks and leaves, which makes sugarcane the largest source of renewable energy in Brazil.  The national flag of Brazil displays a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO, which means Order and Progress. This motto has definitely encouraged the modernization of agriculture in Brazil through care- ful planning for economical solutions that will sustain the quality of life and meet their goals of feeding a signifi- cant percentage of the world.  past few years are a great solution for individuals looking for a faster way to haul larger quantities of fuel, and fuel up faster. Fuel capacity on these units ranges from 1,900 litres on the smaller units up to 3,700 litres on the larger units. Additionally, high-capacity pumps put out 30-40 gal- lons per minute, which substantially reduces the time required to refuel. This combined with the retractable hose reels gives users the extra reach they are looking for to fill larger equipment and makes it quick and easy when it comes to putting the hose back in the trailer. Other options are diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tanks/ pumps, compressors and generators to give those in the field a unit designed to be a one-stop shop when it comes to servicing their equipment. While these new options provide both efficiency and return on investment, my focus is safety. Be safe this season and be aware of what you’re doing, what you’re hauling and how you’re hauling it.