Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Days 11 & 12 - Enjoying the last few days in Romania

DAY 11: Piatra-Neamt – Brasov The first and only stop this morning was at a large farming operation near Piatra-Neamt. The group spent the morning at Ferma Zanesti Grupul de Firme TCE 3 Brazi to better understanding this fully integrated operation producing cereals and other crops on about 6000 ha of land.

What isn’t subsequently used in their dairy, beef, sheep and pig operations is sold/marketed off the farm. The milk produced through the dairy operation (250 cows) is sold in their four independent stores and at a number of dispensing unit locations located in the nearby city and well as further processed into cheese, yoghurt and other dairy products (also sold in their stores). The meat from the beef, sheep and pig operations is further processed in the farm’s abattoir and then sold through their store locations as well.


After learning much about the operation the group enjoyed lunch at the farm, and then it was back on the bus for the return trip across the Carpathians.

Up and over the mountains and back in the Transylvania Region of Romania, the group arrived in Brasov, one of the major cities in the region. Also known as Kronstadt, due to the presence of German colonists as early as the 12th century, Brasov is a beautiful medieval city boasting colourful facades, old ramparts, secret narrow cobble streets and guard towers. At the centre of mountain tourism, today Brasov is one of the most appreciated and visited places in Romania.

After checking in to the Casa Wagner, lodging for the next two nights is located in a medieval building in the city centre, the group enjoyed a short walking tour of the area before heading out on their own for dinner and the evening. Tomorrow is the group's last full day in Romania.

DAY 12 Brasov – Bran – Brasov This morning the AALP Alumni and Friends Tour group visited a food market in Brasov, where local producers are selling their crops and food products.

Brasov is well known for its potato production and all along the roads you can see small stands with bags and bags of potatoes for sale.

Travelling on, the group visited a 700 ha farm wheat, corn, soybeans and triticale. Previously a larger potato farm, the owners determined it was more profitable to downsize and switch from potatoes for processing and for seed to other field crops.

Back on the bus to Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle because of its link to Bram Stoker’s novel. This is a beautiful 14th century castle, restored in the 20th century to its former glory by the Romania’s Royal family. It is an imposing structure guarding the passing point between the two Romanian provinces – Walachia to the south and Transylvania to the north.

Making a stop in Prejmer the group visited its 13th century Gothic style fortified church, which is included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. It is probably the most interesting of all the churches the group has seen on this trip.

Returning to Brasov, the group enjoyed a farewell dinner, local entertainment and some fun with the tour leader. The group's time in Romania is soon drawing to a close.

Views: 194

Comment

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

Join Ontario Agriculture

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

Ag in the House: Dec. 1 – 5

A Liberal minister reminded the House the carbon tax doesn’t apply to farmer

Ontario Animal Health Network (OAHN) Swine Network Quarterly Industry Report

Starting in 2015, Senecavirus A (SVA) has caused intermittent complications with respect to the export of Canadian cull animals to the United States. This disease resembles reportable swine vesicular diseases. This is a national issue and since June 2025 has impacted Ontario cull sow movements. In July 2025, the APHIS and the USDA removed the export eligibility status for a cull sow assembly in Ontario due to SVA lesions being seen in cull sows sent to a USDA processing facility. These lesions initiated foreign animal disease investigations at this US processing plant. The suspect animal(s) were initially quarantined for individual inspection and further testing. Since the initial site, another 2 Ontario cull sow assembly sites have also had their export eligibility status revoked by APHIS and the USDA for similar reasons. The affected assembly sites accept cull sows from Quebec, the Maritimes and Ontario. Each affected assembly site must action the USDA requirements including emptyin

New restrictions placed on hunting, farming 'incredibly destructive' wild boars in Alberta

Wild boars have been declared "a pest in all circumstances" by the Alberta government effective Dec. 1, meaning new restrictions have been placed on keeping them in captivity and hunting them in the wild. It is now illegal to keep, buy, sell, obtain or transport wild boars in Alberta without a permit. That also means no new wild boar farms will be permitted in the province. The hunting and trapping of wild boars in Alberta is banned as well, with the exception of land owners or occupants killing the animals on their own land. Any person who kills a wild boar is now required to report the date, location and number of boars killed to the province as soon as possible. Hannah McKenzie, the province's wild boar specialist, says the changes were made due to the dangers posed by existing wild boar populations and the risks associated with more escaping from captivity. "In addition to damaging agriculture and the environment, wild boar pose a serious risk for the introduction and spread of

CUSMA Review Raises Concerns Over Potential U.S. Tariffs on Canadian Pork

As the first formal review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) approaches in July, pork producers across North America are bracing for potential impacts—especially the possibility of new U.S. tariffs on Canadian agriculture. Florian Possberg, Partner at Polar Pork Farms, says the U.S. political landscape is shaping expectations. He notes that U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed for a baseline 15% tariff on foreign goods in recent global trade discussions. If that approach carries into the CUSMA renegotiation, it could disrupt one of the pork sector’s most critical trade corridors. Free Trade Has Been Essential for Pork Movement Possberg emphasizes that under CUSMA, both live hogs and processed pork products have flowed freely across borders without tariffs. This freedom is especially important given the highly integrated nature of North America’s pork supply chain. The best-case scenario, he adds, is that tariff-free access continues unchanged. The wor

FCC report highlights productivity as key to Canada’s agricultural future

Canadian farmers could see significant income gains and new opportunities if agricultural productivity growth returns to historic highs. The Farm Credit Canada (FCC) report titled Reigniting agricultural productivity in Canada, estimates that boosting productivity growth to two per cent annually could unlock $30 billion in additional farm income, generate $31 billion in GDP, and create nearly 23,000 jobs across the country. Canada has long been a standout among global food producers. Over the past half-century, the agriculture industry has achieved significant productivity growth through better farm management, improved input efficiency and technological innovation. The report warns, however, that productivity growth has slowed in recent years, threatening the industry’s competitiveness and Canada’s ability to meet growing national and global food demand. “Canada’s agricultural productivity growth has consistently outpaced other G7 countries for more than three decades, showing the s

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service