Ont. announces trade mission to South Korea and Japan

Sep 17, 2019

Ministers Hardeman and Fedeli will lead the mission between Oct. 12 and 24

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Job creation and the search for new markets for Ontario ag products will be the key components of a trade mission next month.

Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Ernie Hardeman and Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Minister Vic Fedeli will lead a trade mission to South Korea and Japan from Oct. 12 to 24, Premier Ford announced during the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) in Verner, Ont. today.

The pair will be joined by Raymond Sung Joon Moo, minister of seniors and accessibility, who will help with networking and business development.

Minister Hardeman will promote local pork, beef, grain and other products while meeting with grocery reps.

Ontario exported more than $401-million worth of agri-food products to Japan in 2018, OMAFRA says.

And trade between Ontario and South Korea totaled more than $7.2 billion that year.

As ag trade is stalled between Canada and China on multiple fronts, now is a good time to explore other avenues for Ontario’s ag exports.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Ontario,” Minister Hardeman said during the IPM’s opening ceremony. “Minister Fedeli and I will be there to promote Ontario and the incredible opportunity that is both in our province and the products we produce. Through this mission, we’re going to stand up for our farmers and we’ll go with them to help open doors to international markets.”

Farms.com has reached out to Beef Farmers of Ontario and Ontario Pork for comment.

Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

Did you know we also operate a small business on the homestead. We make homemade, handcrafted soaps, shampoo bars, hair and beard products in addition to offering our pasture raised pork, lamb, and 100% raw honey. You can find out more about our products and ingredients by visiting our website at www.mimiandpoppysplace.com. There you can shop our products and sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a soap or ingredient, gives monthly updates about the homestead, and also lists the markets, festivals, and events we’ll be attending that month.