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Argentine Cattle No Longer Just Home On The Range
by Juan Forero | NPR
Argentina's vast plains are bigger than Texas, and for more than a century, great herds of cattle roamed and ate to their hearts' content. That helped build up Argentina's image as the producer of lean and natural grass-fed beef. But ever so quietly, Argentina is increasingly fattening its herd in American-style feedlots. Promoters say it's efficient, but some Argentines wonder if quality isn't being lost for the sake of quantity.
Each day, 12,000 animals from all over cattle country arrive at the Liniers cattle market on the south side of Buenos Aires. Grizzled men on horseback herd them into pens. The bell then rings, announcing the start of yet another day of auctions. The animals are butchered immediately after sale, resulting in what Argentines call the best beef in the world.
Like this proud country, the century-old Liniers market is all history and tradition. Tradition, though, is dramatically changing. Cattle that once grew fat on Argentina's great grass expanse are now heading to pens. >>> Go to Full Story >>>
Poverty, Education and Equality: Argentina's Bicentennial Highlights the Challenges Facing Latin America
From Universia-Knowledge@Wharton
The official re-opening of Buenos Aires' newly refurbished Teatro Colon, famous for its extraordinary acoustics, will be only one of the ways that Argentina will observe next year's 200th anniversary of the May Revolution of 1810, which signaled the beginning of the country’s independence from Spain. There will be numerous public events, patriotic ceremonies headed by President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, university seminars and conferences, and the publication of relevant books to celebrate the formation of Argentina as a country. Over the past two centuries, the nation has had its share of accomplishments, but it has also suffered many setbacks, such as successive military coups beginning in 1930 until 1983, when democracy was restored.
Other Latin American countries have a similar historic timeline, so a Bicentenary Group was established in 2007, comprising those countries that will commemorate their bicentennials between 2009 and 2011, such as Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Paraguay and Venezuela. Spain also decided to participate in the group "in order to build a stronger and more cohesive Ibero-American community capable of facing the common challenges of the current economic crisis more effectively," said Spainish Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero during an event that officially marked the beginning of the bicentennial celebration of Ibero-American independence.
According to experts, the bicentennial is a symbolic milestone that will help people to reflect on the region's advances and setbacks. The main challenges facing Latin America, they say, are its continued high levels of poverty and economic exclusion; the lack of a strong educational system and competitive economic model; and the need for stronger political parties that can defend the foundations of democracy more effectively. >>> Go to Full Story >>>
LATIN AMERICA: Driving Toward Sustainable Business Advantage
Like many other regions impacted by the global economic crisis, investors and business executives across Latin America have been forced to recalculate expectations of return on investment and corporate earnings.
Download the complete white paper here: Latin America Executive Outlook
Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
The publication of the sixty-first edition of the Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean, corresponding to 2008-2009, comes at a critical point in the economic development of the Latin American and Caribbean region.
Download the complete publication here: Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean
