VOA慢速英语20060117a

AGRICULTURE REPORT - A Long Way from Home: Americans Farming in BrazilBy Mario Ritter

Broadcast: Tuesday, January 17, 2006

I'm Shep O'Neal with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.




To increase profits, some farmers change what they grow. But some farmers in the American Midwest are changing where they grow.

The Midwest is the traditional center of American agriculture. Yet some farmers from Iowa have recently made news by moving to Brazil. And not only from Iowa, it seems. Why such a big move?

In Brazil, undeveloped land can cost two hundred forty dollars a hectare, or less. That is a little more than one-tenth the cost of land in the Midwest.

Some of the farmers see low-cost land in Brazil as a way to expand their operations. And it may serve other purposes. It may help keep farming in the family, by letting other family members have their own farm.

Crops like soybeans and cotton grow well in Brazil's climate. The South American country has grown into a major agricultural exporter. It is the second largest exporter of soybeans after the United States.

In the last five years, millions of hectares have been newly¹ planted in Brazil. Growth has been especially high in central states with grassland² known as cerrado [pronounced ser-HAH-due]. It usually gets rain in summer and is dry in winter.

A company based in Iowa called Brazil Iowa Farms helps American investors⁴ and farmers invest³ in Brazil. David Kruse is the company president. He says it makes sense to invest in Brazil, and to do it with money borrowed in the United States. He says farming in Brazil is more profitable⁵ than in the Midwest, but borrowing costs in Brazil are high.

John Zulk is chief financial officer of Brazil Iowa Farms. Mister⁶ Zulk tells us that his company has three hundred investors. But he says he knows of only about ten or twelve American families that have moved to Brazil to start farms.

Farming in undeveloped areas is not easy. Many areas lack roads and railways to transport crops. Plus, laws and customs are different in Brazil. And the Portuguese⁷ language can be a barrier.

American farmers must also consider other issues. Changes in the exchange rate of the Brazilian real can shrink⁸ profits. Also, while Brazil is open to foreign investors, in most cases they must have a local partner. And farmers will not have the government protections or price supports they might have in the United States.

This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. Read and listen to our reports online at www.unsv.com. I'm Shep O'Neal.

1 newly   

adv.新近，最近；重新，再度；以新的方式

参考例句：

• Have you reviewed for this newly published novel?你给这本新出版的小说写书评了吗？
• It is a newly planted tree and it has not established yet.这是一颗新栽的树，还没有扎下根来。

2 grassland   

n.牧场，草地，草原

参考例句：

• There is a reach of grassland in the distance.远处是连绵一片的草原。
• The snowstorm swept the vast expanse of grassland.暴风雪袭击了辽阔的草原。

3 invest   

v.投资；投入(时间等)；授予，赋予

参考例句：

• I have decided to invest in a new car.我已经决定买一辆新汽车。
• The best time to invest is now.现在是投资的最佳时机。

4 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

5 profitable   

adj.有益的，能带来利益的，有利可图的

参考例句：

• That business became profitable last year.那项生意去年变得很赚钱。
• The convention business is very profitable for the hotel industry.承办会议业务能给旅馆业带来很高的利润。

6 mister   

n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生

参考例句：

• Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
• He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。

7 Portuguese   

n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语

参考例句：

• They styled their house in the Portuguese manner.他们仿照葡萄牙的风格设计自己的房子。
• Her family is Portuguese in origin.她的家族是葡萄牙血统。

8 shrink   

n.收缩，萎缩；vi.收缩，退缩，萎缩；vt.使收缩

参考例句：

• Washing wool in hot water will shrink it.在热水中洗毛织品会使其缩水。
• This cloth won't shrink when it's washed.这种布下水不缩。