Evidence of meeting #64 for International Trade in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was need.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Predeep Sood  Chief Executive Officer, Starling Corporation
Suresh Madan  Champion, Canada Chapters, Member, Global Board of Trustees, The Indus Entrepreneurs
Rick McRonald  Executive Director, Canadian Livestock Genetics Association

5:25 p.m.

Executive Director, Canadian Livestock Genetics Association

Rick McRonald

In terms of the genetics they're looking for, they want to raise animals that will be profitable for them. So it's pretty much about commercial genetics; they're not interested in showing animals or anything like that.

As far as the number of breeds is concerned, or the number of animals in those breeds, those questions I guess would have to be answered by the people in India. Is the population big enough? Do they have enough data? Is the potential there that if they do invest in genetic improvement of those breeds, will they get what they need out of it in terms of increased and more efficient milk production? Those are things they will have to answer themselves, but obviously we can help them to implement a genetic improvement program regardless of the breed. But they'll have to make the decision whether those breeds are worth that investment or not, and that's probably going to be a regional decision at the beginning.

Here, of course, breeds compete and breeds come and go, and if they're not efficient, they disappear. Whether those forces will prevail in India over time, I don't know.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON

What breeds are they mainly marketing or selling and promoting in India?

5:25 p.m.

Executive Director, Canadian Livestock Genetics Association

Rick McRonald

The ones we're involved with are mainly the Holstein breeds and some Jersey [Technical Difficulty—Editor].

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Holstein and Jersey.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON

Okay, thank you.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Thank you very much, Mr. McRonald. Thank you for coming to the committee by way of video conference.

Thank you to Mr. Madan, and Mr. Sood.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

Mr. Chair, I just want to say to Mr. McRonald that I understand he is going to be stepping down and retiring soon.

I want to wish you all the best, and thank you for your years of service to your association.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Very good.

We all wish you the same.

5:25 p.m.

Executive Director, Canadian Livestock Genetics Association

Rick McRonald

Thank you very much. It's four more months. Thank you.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield

Yes, and thank you to all three of you for being here and contributing to our study.

With that, we will adjourn.