Study abroad in Uruguay - 2006

ISSUES IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN URUGUAY

AGRON 450/496/596 - SUSAG 596 – 3 cr. – Spring 2006

 

Co-instructors (ISU): Charlie Brummer, Gretchen Zdorkowski, Valentin Picasso

Co-instructors (Uruguay): Marta Chiappe, Mónica Barbazán

 

Course focus

Sustainability of Uruguay’s food system. Production: crop-pasture rotations, grazing systems, livestock (beef, lamb, hogs, and dairy), rice, vegetables. Industries and markets. Focus on sustainability indicators and comparison with Iowa systems.

 

Learning outcomes   

At the end of the program, students will be able to:

1. Describe Uruguay culture and agriculture, farm and food systems.

2. Compare and contrast the structure of agriculture in Uruguay with that in Iowa.

3. Understand better global/international challenges for sustainability.

4. Identify and evaluate farm and food system sustainability indicators.

Orientation (Iowa)

 

Itinerary (Uruguay, tentative)

Date

Itinerary

Lodging

10-Mar-Fri

Leave DSM, 12.50 pm, -Dallas-Miami-MVD

Flight

11-Mar-Sat

Arrive at Montevideo

Montevideo City

12-Mar-Sun

Horticulture farms, community gardens

Montevideo City

13-Mar-Mon

Hogs, crops, and Natural Park

Colonia City

14-Mar-Tue

Farm visits: dairy and crops

Cololo Farm

15-Mar-Wed

Dairy Industry, markets

Canelones City

16-Mar-Thu

Farm visits: goats, organic farms

Punta del Este beach

17-Mar-Fri

Rice and Natural Reserve

La Paloma beach

18-Mar-Sat

Grazing beef-sheep farms

Montevideo City

19-Mar-Sun

Leave Montevideo (via BsAs-Dallas-DSM)

Flight

20-Mar-Mon

Arrive at Des Moines (10.01 am)   

Home sweet home

 

After trip


Final itinerary

 

Date

Itinerary

10-Mar-Fri

Leave Ames 9.30 am. Leave DSM 12.25 pm (AA 3790) to Dallas (DFW)

Flight: AA 436 DFW-MIA (leaves 5.39 pm) AA 989 MIA-MVD (leave 11 pm)

11-Mar-Sat

Arrive at Montevideo 11.06 am.

Dinner at “Mercado del Puerto” (tradicional asado)

Walking tour of  Montevideo’s Historic district “Ciudad Vieja  - Free time

Hotel Lafayette, Soriano 1170, Montevideo; Phone: 598-2-902 56 56

12-Mar-Sun

8.30 am – Small grocery store,

9.00 am – Organic Farmers market (Feria Organica del Parque Rodo) – Mdeo.

11.30 am – Conventional Farmers Market (El Ombu) – Mdeo.

Lunch at “Chiviteria Marcos” (Chivitos – beef sandwich)

2.00 pm – Visit to Farm and Home “La Huella” (Social projects, greenhouse, horticulture, donations) – Las Piedras, Canelones

4.30 pm – Supermarket “Disco Natural” at Punta Carretas Shopping Center – Montevideo

6.00 pm – Organic Community Farm “Ecosur” (horticulture, hogs, a cow, chicken, nursery, community)

9.00 pm – Dinner in Montevideo

Hotel Lafayette, Soriano 1170, Montevideo; Phone: 598-2-902 56 56

13-Mar-Mon

8.30 am – Meet with Uruguayans at College of Agriculture, Montevideo.

9.00 am – Visit to College of Agriculture – Southern Experimental Station (Centro Regional Sur, Progreso, Canelones) – Hog systems

10.30 am – Dairy goat farm (Bella Vista, Cerrillos, Canelones)

Lunch at the farm (roasted lamb – cordero asado)

4.00 pm – Organic biodynamic crops and dairy farm: Sr. Sergio Berger, Association of Organic Producers of Uruguay, APODU - Colonia Valdense, Colonia

6.55 pm – Sunset at Historic Colonia del Sacramento City, Colonia

Walking tour to the historic district

9.00 pm – Dinner (Colonia Rock, Pizza)

Romi Hotel, Rivera 236, Colonia del Sacramento, Phone: 598-52-30 456

14-Mar-Tue

8.00 am – National Agriculture Research Institute (INIA) “La Estanzuela” Experimental Station, Colonia. Forage, Dairy and Rotations Research.

Lunch at Rodo (Soriano) – milanesas (breded fried beef)

2.00 pm – Visit to Large agriculture/livestock farm with Corriedale sheep breeding stock

6.00 pm – free time at Cololo farm Coop

8.30 pm – Dinner (spinach ravioli with tomato-beef sauce)

10.00 pm – Reflection  and discussion time

Cololo Farm-Coop, Ruta 14 km 12.500, Phone: 598- 530-2074 or (099 603432)

15-Mar-Wed

8.00 am – Tour at Cololo farm Coop: parlor, cheese “industry”, hogs, machinery, housing, nursery, cooperative structure and discussion.

Lunch at park in “Palmar” Dam (milanesas al pan)

3.30 pm – Small Dairy farmer in San Jose

6.00 pm – Dairy Industry (CONAPROLE) Processing plant in Montevideo

9.00 pm – Dinner in Montevideo

Hotel Lafayette, Montevideo

16-Mar-Thu

8.00 am – Lecture on Agriculture rotations and No tillage systems in Uruguay by Dr. Fernando García-Prechac at College of Agriculture, Montevideo

Lab tours in the College of Agriculture (optional)

10.00 am – Horticulture and Fruits Marketing Coop, CALELCO, Canelones

Lunch at “El Rancho” (Ruta 5, Canelones)

2.00 pm – Women Coop of North-Eastern Canelones (CALMAÑANA), Organic production of aromatic and medicinal herbs (Ruta 88 km 4,5, Tapia)

Drive to Punta del Este, Maldonado. Ice-cream stop at Piriapolis, Maldonado.

Dinner in Punta del Este (Pizza con Faina)

Marbella Hotel Calle 31  y Av. Gorlero, Punta del Este, Maldonado; Tel. Phone: 598-42-44 18 14

17-Mar-Fri

10.00 am – Visit to PROBIDES Offices and talk about the Program of Biodiversity Conservation of Eastern Uruguayan Wetlands

(Ing. Agr. Mariana Vilaro)

Lunch at Parador Rocha (churrascos, beef)

2.00 pm – Grazing beef-sheep farm and forage seed producer (Ing. Agr. Federico Llambi), Rocha

Stop at Potato field near road, Rocha

6.00 – Free time at La Paloma beach and lighthouse

Hotel Cabo Santa Maria, La Paloma, Rocha  www.cabosantamaria.com,

598 479 6004

18-Mar-Sat

9.00 am – El Potrerillo, Biological Natural Reserve (PROBIDES): Ñandú, Carpincho, Chajá, Butia palmtrees, and more native flora and fauna from wetlands, prairies, woodlands, and coast. Archeologic site (Cerritos de indios) in Rocha.

Lunch on the bus (Empanadas)

2.00 pm - Rice-beef farm (Ing. Agr. Jose Uriarte) in La Coronilla, Rocha

4.30 pm – Punta del Diablo beach, Rocha.

Drive to Montevideo

Sheraton Montevideo Hotel, Montevideo

19-Mar-Sun

Free day at Montevideo for shopping (Feria del Parque Rodo)

Leave Montevideo 6.50 pm, AA 900 to Buenos Aires (EZE)

Leave Bs. As. 10.30 pm (AA 996) to DFW

20-Mar-Mon

8.10 am DFW to DSM (AA 3711). Arrive DSM 9.58 am   

Home sweet home!