This is the first time the dairy rally has traveled outside of Russia since it began in 2010.

Bender lora
Lora Bender
Editor / Progressive Dairy en francais

0918ca progressive events motor rally

The idea started after Bob Lang, Agriculture Hall of Fame recipient and industry leader, showed Russian journalists around Canada in 2017.

Connecting with Vera Mozgovaya, chief editor of The Dairy News (who organizes the Motor Rally), and Michael Mishchenko, director of the Russian Dairy Research Centre, they joined forces with Canadian tour organizers Kelly Maloney from the City of Kawartha Lakes, Tracey Werry from Leading Livestock Genetics and John DeVries from Willdina Farms to bring the motor rally to Canada.

Holstein judge John DeVries, from Willdina Farms, gave a demonstration of the Canadian classification system

Rally participants were looking to make Canadian contacts and understand, investigate and learn the Canadian dairy philosophy.

The tour stopped at 10 dairy farms, a few milk processors and several agriculture industry suppliers en route from Quebec to southwestern Ontario. These stops included:

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  • Ferme Blondin, Simon Lalande and Kim Côté, St-Placide, Quebec – 2X Master Breeder herd milking 200 Holsteins in a parlour freestall barn

  • Alltech Bioscience Centre, Alexandria, Ontario – one of the largest manufacturing facilities for chelated minerals in the world

  • St-Albert Cheese Co-op, St-Albert, Ontario – award-winning cheese processor and one of the oldest cooperatives in Canada

  • Riverdown Farm, John and Karen Velthuis, Metcalfe, Ontario – milking 110 cows in a robot freestall facility

  • Schouten Dairy Farms, the Schouten family, Richmond, Ontario – milking 350 cows with nine robots, managing more than 800 cattle

  • Crovalley Holsteins, John and Cynthia Crowley family, Hastings, Ontario – milking 100 Holsteins in a six-row, sand-bedded freestall barn with two robots

  • Grasshill Farm, Lloyd and Barbara Wicks, Bobcaygeon, Ontario – 3X Master Breeder herd raising Holsteins and Saanen dairy goats

  • Kawartha Dairy, Bobcaygeon, Ontario – 100 percent Canadian and family-owned dairy processor since 1937

  • Kawartha Holsteins, Dave and Melissa McMorrow, Lindsay, Ontario – Master Breeder herd milking 45 Holsteins in a tiestall barn

    Dave McMorrow, owner of Kawartha Holsteins with his wife, Melissa, fielded questions about Canadian genetics.
  • Green Tractors, Omemee, Ontario – John Deere dealer specializing in precision farming

    0918ca progressive events participants
  • Mariposa Dairy Ltd., Lindsay, Ontario – producing 100 percent goat and sheep milk cheeses

  • Benrise Farms, Tom and Tracy Benschop, Bowmanville, Ontario – farming 450 acres, milking 100 cows in a freestall barn with a parlour

  • Armstrong Manor Farm, the Armstrong family, Caledon, Ontario – farming 1,500 acres, milking 270 cows in a double-12 parlour and freestall barn

  • Jaylor Canada Inc., Orton, Ontario – head office of feed mixer manufacturer

  • Semex, Guelph, Ontario – head office of genetic solutions company

  • CanWest DHI, Guelph, Ontario – head office of milk recording association

  • Little Brown Cow, Jenny Butcher and Wes Kuntz, Brantford, Ontario – milking 70 Jerseys in a freestall barn with an on-farm creamery and store

  • Summitholm Holsteins, Carl, Dave and Ben Loewith, Jerseyville, Ontario – Master Breeder Holstein herd, milking 430 cows in a sand-bedded freestall barn and double-12 parallel parlour

The itinerary also incorporated seeing the sights and experiencing Canadian culture: go-kart racing at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, meeting local dairy producers at the Durham Twilight Meeting at Benrise Farms in Bowmanville and a tour of Pillitteri Estates Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, for some fun yet competitive go-karting

Werry shared the group was pleasantly surprised with the openness of Canadians: “We were impressed by the farmers who opened their farms to us and showed us their daily work, answered all the questions and gave us a chance to look behind the doors. It was impressive to see well-organized farms, progressive supply management, family team spirit and the big passion in agriculture.”

Maloney added, “As a result of the tour, we have opened the door to understanding and trust between the farmers, processors and industry suppliers of our two countries. There are currently discussions ongoing about export sales of equipment and genetics. We are also pleased to report approximately $100,000 in spending (excluding air travel) in Ontario and Montreal related to this week-long event, with approximately $20,000 of that spent in Kawartha Lakes.”

The Motor Rally provided an opportunity to showcase the Canadian dairy industry and strengthen contacts between the two countries.  end mark

PHOTO 1: Russian dairy logo.

PHOTO 2: The 20-plus car convoy traveled from Montreal to Ottawa to Lindsay to Kitchener to Niagara to see various parts of Canada’s dairy industry.

PHOTO 3: Holstein judge John DeVries, from Willdina Farms, gave a demonstration of the Canadian classification system to the group of Russian dairy producers at Kawartha Holsteins in Lindsay, Ontario.

PHOTO 4: Dave McMorrow, owner of Kawartha Holsteins with his wife, Melissa, fielded questions about Canadian genetics.

PHOTO 5: In July, more than 55 Russian dairy producers, processors, industry suppliers and media participated in the Russian VII annual Motor Rally. Here, they stopped to view farm equipment at Green Tractors in Lindsay, Ontario.

PHOTO 6: The Motor Rally wasn’t all about dairy, as a few fun stops were made along the way. The group made a “pit stop” at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, for some fun yet competitive go-karting. Photos by Lora Bender.

Lora Bender