During June 2008, a group of 16 farmers from the Lake Region of Chile visited the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Alberta to learn more about the Biofuel industry in that country.

Even though the main subject was Biofuels, the Chilean farmers also learned about the milk and grain industry in Canada and were impressed by the new technologies developed in this area. The farmers studied Canadian’s improvements in biodiesel production and new sources of energy from wood and animal waste. They visited farms, research stations, universities, the agricultural ministry, farm associations, and production facilities, meetings and activities.

 In addition, due to the high prices of grain and fertilizers, the farmers were interested in seeing what Canada is doing with the secondary products obtained after the bioconversion of grain into Ethanol and Biodiesel. Examples include DDGS as a supplementary source of feed for cattle; natural fertilizers, from the high nitrogen-phosphorus compounds; and new important pharmaceutical compounds such as Tocopherols and Polyphenols.  

 All this has opened a new line of interest in the biofuel industry for Chilean farmers, not only limited to the energy production, but to other important products.

 By Raoul Montaño

Day 1
Arrival to YTO (or YUL) International Airport in Ottawa - Your bus will be waiting for you at the airport. Head to Ottawa for a quick visit of the city.
Overnight Ottawa.
 
Day 2
Breakfast at the Hotel. Meeting with Agriculture Canada on biofuel programs and research in Canada and presentation of the government plan to increase biofuel production. After Lunch meeting with Canadian Bioenergy Association .
Overnight Ottawa

Day 3
Breakfast at the Hotel. Head to Montreal. Meeting at the cash crops Federation, member of UPA.. Lunch. And visit of the new ethanol plant owned by a group of corn producers and the Federation of cash crops City Tour of Montreal. Dinner in the old city.
Overnight Montreal

Day 4
Breakfast at the Hotel. Visit of a major corn farm who sells to the new ethanol plant. Meeting with an agronomist working at Quebec province Agriculture ministry and working in collaboration with CRAAQ on the specialized comity in corn and oilseeds. Free time for Lunch. Visit of CEROM, the grain research center in Quebec. Return to Montreal and free time before dinner.
Overnight Montreal

Day 5
Breakfast at the Hotel. Meeting with the group sine nomine, a consulting group specialized in biodiesel consulting projects and in charge of special pilot project with ethanol.  Meeting with Camil Lagacé, the president of this group is also president of Conseil Québécois du Biodiesel (Quebec Council of Biodiesel).. Visit of STM (Public bus and subway transport of Montreal): presentation of the STM and their biodiesel project. Lunch in Montreal. Afternoon visit and meeting with Rothsays Canada in Montreal suburb about the production of biofuel from animal by-products.
Overnight Montreal

Day 6
Visit coop COMAX: very dynamic regional Coop, flour- milling, center of grains with capacity of storage of 24000 tons, phytoprotection, agent of Massey-Ferguson and Fendt. Lunch en route to Quebec city. Meeting at energy ministry on the Quebec plan for bioenergy. Installation at the hotel. Dinner in the old city.
Overnight Quebec

Day 7
Breakfast at the Hotel. Visit of Quebec city.  Free afternoon to visit Quebec and enjoy the old city.
Overnight Quebec

Day 8
Direct flight to Detroit with Northwest or to YUL / YYZ with AC or EWR with continental. Farewell lunch on the country side and transfer to the airport.

Services include:
Lodging in good 3* hotels (Downtown location)
American Breakfast.   7 lunches   4 dinners
Transport in a 21 pax bus or 30 pax bus (for 20 pax and more)
Local escort speaking spanish, french and english
Professional visits planification.
Activities in the program
Applicable taxes