Insight into Market Access & Trade Policy Panel at WIAS25 From Speaker Sérgio Bortolozzo

By Michelle Pelletier Marshall, Women in Agribusiness Media (July 8, 2025) 

Agriculture runs through Sérgio Bortolozzo’s blood – how can it not after his holding such a vital role in the sector for nearly 50 years? Since 1978, Bortolozzo has been involved in agricultural activities related to cotton farming, sugarcane, coffee farming and livestock, both in family farming and assisting other producers in his position as president of Sociedade Rural Brasileira (SRB). This association of rural producers, founded in 1919, provides political representation and solutions on behalf of Brazilian farmers to ensure the value, efficiency and competitiveness of the Brazilian agriculture sector. In his role, Bortolozzo works to create more stream-lined government and regulatory oversite and more favorable conditions for investments in ag. He also spearheads efforts to raise the image and awareness of the ag capabilities of Brazilian production in the international landscape.  

For its part, Brazil ranks as a top producer and exporter of numerous commodities like soybeans, coffee, sugar, and beef, and has a significant presence as a producer of rice, wheat, cocoa, nuts and more. In 2024, it was the second-biggest grain exporter in the world (and the second largest producer of soy), with 19 percent of the international market share, and the fourth overall grain producer. Ag is big business in Brazil – according to the World Bank report, it accounts for about 8.4 percent of Brazil's GDP, 16.2 percent of total employment, and 40 percent of total exports. 

With that, it is more than fitting that Bortolozzo will attend the 2025 Women in Agribusiness (WIA) Summit as a member of the Trade Policy, Tariffs & Market Access: How Regulation Is Reshaping Ag Trade panel that will focus on trade policies between the U.S. and key ag import/export partners, identifying how those policies might impact trade flows and the future of the market. Risks and opportunities will be discussed with respect to their impact on agribusiness in the next few years, and notable policies to watch will be highlighted to ensure readiness in the ag sector now and in the future. 

WIA Today asked Bortolozzo to share his insights on Brazilian ag and give us a preview of the WIA panel discussion.

1). Please further explain your role and experience with the SRB, and how you came to be in ag. 

Founded in 1919, the Brazilian Rural Society is an association that represents rural producers from all over the country, working to defend the development of national agribusiness. Our mission is to create new initiatives so that Brazilian agribusiness becomes increasingly efficient, competitive and sustainable, based on dialogue and contributing to the development of Brazil. 

I am a rural producer and son of farmers from Araraquara, in the interior of São Paulo, so being a part of the agriculture sector in Brazil has been a lifelong passion for me. I have worked for various agribusiness entities, such as Abramilho and the Maize International Alliance (Maizall), which brings together corn producers from the U.S., Brazil and Argentina. I also have enjoyed my time with the Champions Network, working with the leaders who prepare the debate for the Food Systems Summit.

The focus of the work is always to act strongly in dialogue with the Federal Government and the States, seeking to give visibility to the agendas that guarantee, mainly, legal security, property rights and free trade for rural producers and agribusiness as a whole. 

2). What are the top three biggest changes you’ve seen in Brazilian ag during your time in the sector? 

In my opinion, the top three biggest are: one, the energy transition, including the transformation of commodities, like corn and soy, to fuel and the necessity to correspond on extreme natural events and the impact on the production. Two, food security. Based on the number of the people that live in our world today and the projection of growth for the next 50 years – principally when we focus on the diversity of the food and the quantities of animal protein that the population needs. And three, the traceability of the production chain, including the tracking of the origin of the food or the product to get more value for the producer and the industry.  

3). Brazil is a global ag superpower. How do you see that progressing and how are you representing the producers of the SRB in that endeavor?  

We can see the production excellence in the number of grains and animal protein production, in addition to the diversity of products that the producer and the agribusiness sector produce in the four regions of Brazil, mainly focusing on tropical agriculture and its variety of crops throughout the year in the same territory. In addition, Brazil's representation as a point of main conflict regarding trade and environmental regulations with the European Union, for example, by the EUDR, demonstrates the relevance of Brazi    lian production as a supplier to the European continent. 

With the SRB, rural producers have their voice heard in all spheres of economic and technical public policies involving agricultural activity. This makes it possible to take the analysis of incentives or disincentives in the sector to the Executive, Legislative and the Supreme Court as well as to other places where discussions are had about the most critical activities in Brazil. 

4). As in most industries, development often depends on investment in innovation and technology and advancement of workforce. What is being done on these fronts in Brazilian agriculture?  

We realize that the basis is investment in research and development of products that can be adapted to the various productive regions of Brazil. Historically, this was done by Embrapa, but in recent years, we have also had large private companies that play this role in an exemplary manner. In addition, we realize that production data is essential for studying trends in falling or rising prices of inputs, products and labor, so there is a focus on understanding how to optimize the use of data for the producer. 

5). Can you provide some of the key points you will share with the WIA Summit audience relative to ag trade and policy from the Brazilian perspective? 

Sure. I intend to talk about the competitiveness and the excellence of production for food security that we have established in Brazil. At SRB, we believe it is essential to create positive incentives in both the agriculture and livestock sectors, and to create a foundational system of public and private credit to support and develop production.

ABOUT SÉRGIO BORTOLOZZO

Sérgio Bortolozzo, president of the Brazilian Rural Society for the 2023/2025 Triennium, is a rural producer born in Americana, in the interior of Såo Paulo. Since 1978, he has been involved in agricultural activities related to cotton farming, sugarcane, coffee farming and livestock. In 1988, he began exploring the Cerrado area for grain production on farms in Matopiba. In recent decades, he has stood out for his work in different entities representing agribusiness, including Abramilho, an entity he presided over for six years; Maizall, which brings together corn producers from the United States, Brazil and Argentina; and was president of the Corn and Sorghum Sector Chamber at the Ministry of Agriculture. In 2021, he received an official invitation from the UN to join the so-called Champions Network for the Food System Summit, a group of leaders who prepared the debate for the Food Systems Summit.