Apr 01, 2010
Brazil Announces New Minister Of Agriculture
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
After a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, it was announced that Wagner Rossi would be the new Brazilian Minister of Agriculture. Rossi is currently the President of Conab. He replaces Reinhold Stephanes who is stepping down in order to run for the Senate from the state of Parana in the October general elections.
Rossi, who is originally from the city of Ribeirao Preto in the state of Sao Paulo, is 67 years old and a former farmer and businessman. He holds a law degree from the University of Sao Paulo and has been a professor at various Brazilian universities as well as being a senator from the state of Sao Paulo. Minister Rossi is considered a part of Lula's team and he is not expected to make any major changes to the Ministry's staff or adjustments to Lula's agricultural agenda.
Minister Rossi is expected to retain his new post at least through the end of President Lula's second term, which will expire later this year. President Lula is barred from running for a third term and his chief of staff, Dilma Rousseff, is considered one of the front-runners in the presidential race. Mrs. Rousseff has already announced that if she is elected president she will continue pursuing most of Lula's current economic policies. President Lula and Mrs. Rousseff have been traveling around the country in recent months inaugurating numerous infrastructure projects stating that infrastructure improvements will be one of her top priorities if elected.