When the judges of the 2005 Environmental Respect Award
World of Respect program reviewed the entry kit submitted by Agro Amazonia of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, they knew they had a winner. And the company hasn't stopped with their award. They were a stop on the 2008 World Tour Brazil, continuing to educate U.S. dealers and others about the importance of environmental safety.
The Company
Even with the high level of competition in the 2005 awards, there was no questioning that Agro Amazonia's record for product and environmental stewardship stood out -- not only by practicing stewardship internally, but by promoting the ideals of safe and responsible business to their community.
The company's dedication takes many forms: from hosting training conferences on the proper use, transportation, and storage of agrochemicals throughout Mato Grosso, to promoting student symposia on the environment, education is a key component of Agro Amazonia's environmental policy. In addition, the company takes part in numerous events -- on Arbor Day, Agro Amazonia worked in its community to plant 2,000 trees, and along with Brasiltelecom, donated 150,000 telephonic cartons to represent the importance of proper container handling practices. On international World Day, Agro Amazonia distributed 10,000 ecological bags in a promotion to bring more attention to the environment and help spread the good practices that the company employs in its business. Its outstanding efforts are attested to by the fact that Agro Amazonia is the only company to win an Agrochemical Merit award from the Brazilian agricultural industry group ANDEF/ANDAV for five consecutive years.
Reaching Out to Partners
Why involve itself so much with educating the community and customers around them? For Agro Amazonia, achieving good stewardship is a group effort that involves working with many partners.
"Working with agrochemical products requires the completion of a group of technical standards laws, which guarantees the safety of the worker and the health of the consumer, the balance of the environment, and collaborating with everyone for the production of healthy foods," says Roberto Motta, director. "We are doing our part."
Agro Amazonia's part has grown to become a very large one. The company was founded in 1983 to work with veterinary products and pastures herbicides, and branched out in 1986 to work with agricultural chemicals. Since then, the company also has become a dealer for John Deere equipment in Brazil.
As Brazil's agriculture output improved, the company's did along with it. Agro Amazonia's base in Mato Grosso -- a major soybean growing state -- has grown at a rapid pace, and now the company is made up of 25 outlets spread throughout Mato Grosso and the neighboring state of Goias and tended to by 325 professionals. These branches currently service approximately 5.8 million hectares (Ha) of soybeans, along with 600,000 Ha of maize, 400,000 Ha of rice, and 350,000 Ha of cotton. And like a lot of Brazilian agriculture, these numbers are likely to continue going up.
While Agro Amazonia is far ahead of the curve on stewardship practices, the company knows the work is not over. Along with business challenges such as keeping and building its high-quality team and preparing for what could be massive increases in genetically modified (GM) soya in Mato Grosso in the next few years, Agro amazonia is constantly striving to work towards higher and higher goals, according to Motta.
"To have a very good stewardship program, to offer high-quality products and service to our customers, to value people, to work with safety and respect for the environment, to have strong partnerships with our customers, suppliers, employees, and community, and finally to work to develop sustainable agriculture in Brazil -- these are the goals we have."
