Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

AALP Class 14 International Study Tour - Saturday, February 23, 2013

AALP Class 14 had an early start to our day as we made our way to the city of Pune. Pune is a growing city of over 5 million people. (http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/mtdc/HTML/MaharashtraTourism/D...) Compared to Mumbai, it looks like a small town.  This city has many universities and towns as well as motorcycles.

After what seemed like ages, we finally reached our first destination, Semex. Semex has been in India for less than a year and has formed a joint venture with Provet Genetics. The dream of this joint venture is to increase local milk production per cow to levels near that of Canadian production.  The parent company for Provet is Baramati Agro Ltd. This company works on many portfolios such as poultry, sugar, and commodity trading. Though the Indian government regulates many aspects of agriculture, this company is very positive in its long term growth.

After a good discussion with Semex-Provet we were treated to pizza India style - that is to say vegetarian including corn niblets, not a pepperoni to be seen. 

Our tour then took us out of Pune and to a dairy that is working closely with Semex-Provet to improve its herd's genetics. The farmer who was formally trained as an engineer "saw the light" and focused on farming, specifically on dairy production.

The land in this area certainly looked more fertile than the area that we visited yesterday. For instance we saw fields of sugarcane, bananas, wheat, and a variety of horticultural crops. The scope of agriculture is truly amazing considering that most farms are 2.5 Ha (5 acres) in size.

 

Todd Austin, Kim McCaw, Teresa Wilbur – AALP Class 14 bloggers

Views: 525

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Comment by OntAG Admin on February 24, 2013 at 5:54pm

Comment by Roadrunner on February 24, 2013 at 5:52pm

Thanks for sharing the pictures and tweets.

I am enjoying learning about India and how the farmers there operate.

Comment by Moe Agostino on February 24, 2013 at 10:08am

I am wondering if anyone asked about the prices the farmers get for milk, grain etc and how that compares to North American prices?

Thanks,

Moe

Comment by Joe Dales on February 24, 2013 at 9:06am

Comment by Joe Dales on February 24, 2013 at 9:05am

Comment by Joe Dales on February 24, 2013 at 7:06am

Check out the photos from the AALP India Study Tour.

http://ontag.farms.com/photo

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Trade with China

China’s Anti-Discrimination Investigation On March 8, 2025, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced the outcome of its anti-discrimination investigation initiated in September 2024 as a result of the federal government’s imposition of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum. In response to Canada, China’s State Council Tariff Commission will impose a 100 per cent tariff rate on Canadian canola oil and canola meal along with several other tariffs on other Canadian agricultural commodities as of March 20, 2025. Tariffs from the State Council Tariff Commission resulting from the anti-discrimination investigation are separate and distinct from China’s anti-dumping investigation into imports of Canadian canola seed which is ongoing. China’s Anti-Dumping Investigation On August 12, 2025, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced its preliminary ruling as part of its anti-dumping investigation into Canadian canola seed imports. In its ruling, MOFCOM announce

Advocating for Trade and Market Diversification on The Hill

Canadian canola farmers are navigating major trade volatility. Ongoing tariffs have closed access to China, once a $4.9 billion market, while uncertainty around the upcoming Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) review is putting Canada’s two largest export markets under pressure. At the same time, Canada’s growing biofuels sector offers a valuable opportunity for canola farmers. With strong policy support, biofuels can drive new domestic demand for canola and reduce farmers’ exposure to trade disruptions. Canada’s canola farmers rely on predictable market access. These shifts show how quickly geopolitical issues and national policies can ripple back to the farm gate.  As the national representative of Canada’s 40,000 canola farmers, Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) has been front and centre with the federal government, calling for a political solution to the China tariff dispute and for a canola-friendly biofuels policy.  Canola’s Annual Lobby Day Every year, the Board o

Revitalizing rural and agricultural infrastructure

Since 2023, Alberta’s government has taken action to support ag societies through the Agricultural Societies Infrastructure Revitalization Program, strengthening the quality of life in rural communities. The program has delivered $7.5 million in total grants for 106 ag society projects over the past three years, including funds allocated this year. This funding has helped ag societies with improvements and repairs to commercial kitchens, roofs, horse riding arenas and heating and ventilation in ice rinks, and has increased accessibility and energy efficiency in rural facilities. Alberta’s rural communities need up-to-date facilities to promote community involvement and economic growth. These buildings are central hubs, offering residents the opportunity to gather, engage and connect with their neighbours. “Ag societies have an important role in the quality of life for Alberta villages, towns and rural communities. Throughout the year they welcome Albertans to community events, from l

Canada makes commitments to international ag

Canada will spend almost $400 million to support farmers around the world

Growth Promoters and the Environment Revisited

In October 2021, this column described a research project that examined how long residues from growth promoters persist in the feedlot environment. They learned that residues from trenbolone acetate (TBA; used in some growth implants to mimic testosterone) and melengestrol acetate (MGA; sometimes fed to heifers to suppress estrus) dissipate very quickly after they’re excreted. However, residues from ractopamine (a feed additive that improves feed efficiency, weight gain and leanness late in the feeding period) could be found on the pen floor for up to five months after it was last fed. Jon Challis and collaborators at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the University of Saskatchewan recently published a follow-up study to learn whether manure composting, stockpiling or soil incorporation help break down ractopamine residues and whether ractopamine residues can affect hormone levels in other organisms that may come in contact with them in the environment (“Chemical and bioassay-based

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service