'Pocket pigs' pose problems Sunday, February 6, 2011 "Pocket pigs" got a big boost last year in Britain when celebrity guests, including soccer star David Beckham and his glamorous wife Victoria, went home from the Golden Globe movie awards with miniature pot-bellied pigs in their goodie bags. The pigs, which cost £3,000 to buy, were compliments of the owner of Patty's Royal Dandie Miniature Pet Pig. It was a good publicity stunt. By early December British authorities were warning of dangers involved in buying these pigs as pets for children. The pigs can carry and pass on the skin condition erysipeloid and the bacterium Streptococcus suis, which can lead to illness, including meningitis and deafness in humans. The micro pigs have been bred down to size, only 28 grams at birth. They still weigh as much as 29 kilograms and 35 centimetres in height when fully grown. They can live to be 18 years old. BP Manitoba producers sink under an increasing burden of regulation Worldwide hog production shrinks and Smithfield rocks
Alberta Canola calling for trade compensation Wednesday, May 20, 2026 Alberta’s canola sector is asking the federal government for compensation to help offset challenges caused by Chinese tariffs. In a May 8 letter to the federal finance and agriculture ministers, Alberta Canola Growers says targeted compensation is necessary due to the challenges the... Read this article online
Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention Names Douglas Darling as President Wednesday, May 20, 2026 The Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention (OFVC) has named Niagara-based grower Douglas Darling as its new President, marking a leadership transition as the organization prepares for continued growth and innovation within Ontario’s horticulture sector. Darling, with Sunnydale Farms in... Read this article online
Sunrise Farms invests over $100 million to build advanced poultry plant in Woodstock Wednesday, May 20, 2026 Ontario’s agri‑food sector is set for another major boost as Sunrise Farms announced an investment of more than $100 million to build a state‑of‑the‑art poultry processing facility in Woodstock. The expansion—described as the largest greenfield project in the company’s history—will create... Read this article online
Simple Breeding Boosts Bee Survival Wednesday, May 20, 2026 To celebrate World Bee Day, May 20, we thought some good news about bees would be welcome. Honeybee colonies continue to face serious losses each year due to many challenges. Changes in weather, climate conditions, and land use all affect bee health. However, Varroa mites remain the... Read this article online
Caring for Fish in a Farm Pond: Best Practices for Healthy, Productive Water Systems Wednesday, May 20, 2026 Farm ponds are more than just scenic features on a property—they can serve as valuable assets for, recreation, and ecosystem health. Some people like fancy fish in their pond, while some people are not too particular. Whether there are fish in your farm pond, or it’s just a pond, proper... Read this article online