When you meet Fabiano Silvestrin—at a conference, in a business development call, or in the field—you’ll likely notice something right away: He’s curious.
Curious about what you need. Curious about your challenges. And curious about you.
“I really enjoy talking to people and learning from them,” Fabiano says. “Fortunately, I have many connections in the agricultural sector, and this helps me a lot in my role. In agriculture, relationships with people are key for the development of business.”
As U.S. Borax’s principal advisor for global market development in agriculture, Fabiano has the opportunity to share his rich, cross-disciplinary experience with our partners and customers all over the world. Although he’s based in our Chicago commercial office, you’ll find him at an array of events from the Brazilian Cotton Congress to the Boron Day conference, fertilizer events, and crop nutrition summits in Latin America, India, and the United States.
In every connection he makes, Fabiano brings insightful knowledge of boron and its benefits for commodity and specialty crops.
A passion for learning, grounded in agriculture
Fabiano’s expertise is grounded in a long family agriculture tradition and enriched by a multicultural perspective.
Born in Ponta Grossa, Paraná, in southern Brazil, Fabiano’s family has Italian roots. In fact, he is fluent in English, Portuguese, and Italian. “Since my family arrived in Brazil, they have always worked in agriculture, and my interest in agronomy is linked to that history,” he explains.
Fabiano and his parents on their farm.
That family business nurtured a deep appreciation of the land that paired naturally with his enthusiasm for learning and trying new things. He remembers, “I had a happy childhood and was always passionate about soccer and vehicles of all kinds—cars, trucks, tractors, even harvest machines. I learned to drive very early and helped my father with chores on the farm.”
He also demonstrated an aptitude for learning. At 13 he left his parents’ small town and moved to a bigger city with the aim of furthering his studies and preparing to enter a good university. In 1998, he entered the Federal University of Paraná to study agronomy. After graduation, he began working with fertilizers and discovered an interest in soil science.
Making connections across agricultural sectors
As each new pursuit sparked a new interest and a fresh opportunity for learning, Fabiano realized the complexity of the interconnected relationships that make modern agriculture possible.
He explains, “Ever since I started working with fertilizers, I have been very curious to learn everything about soils, plant nutrition, and the fertilizers themselves. My in-depth studies related to soil science and plant nutrition have helped me a lot to understand the real needs of fertilizer companies and farmers.”
He also recognizes that finding balance in those interconnected systems is more important today than ever. “I would say that the climate issue has been a major point of concern for farmers because when a severe drought or heavy rain occurs during a cropping season, this can compromise all agricultural production and the profitability of farmers.”
Creative solutions for the future of farming
Solving that kind of complex challenge is what makes Fabiano’s work with us meaningful. “I have always enjoyed talking to people and looking for solutions. This has helped me a lot in market development, sales, and the technical side of my professional life,” he says.
“Daily, I’m helping farmers understand the benefits of boron in agriculture. But I’m also looking toward the future of the industry—identifying key global and regional trends and leading the market and technical development of programs and solutions that meet those growing needs across all agriculture sectors.”
To enable that level of creativity and innovation, Fabiano relies on his innate skills of adaptability, resilience, and communication. And at the heart of those abilities is collaboration.
“Our company takes great care of us and offers us many opportunities to stay current with the latest advancements in the agriculture and fertilizer sectors,” he says. “I read a lot, talk to a lot of people, and I’m always participating in agricultural events in different parts of the world.”
But he also makes time to stay grounded in the people and pursuits that nurture his curiosity. “I really like traveling,” he says, “and outside of work I love to visit my family, watch soccer, and drink good coffee. I love driving new and old cars. And I spend a good amount of time praying.”
Creating that balance in his life gives Fabiano the perspective to take his expertise in new directions—and find better ways to support our partners in the ever-evolving world of agriculture.
Young Fabiano contemplating a future in agriculture.Resources