'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
BioCV launches real-time monitoring system to boost sow health and productivity Monday, May 25, 2026 BioCV Inc. has introduced a new intelligent sow monitoring system designed to give US pork producers earlier, more accurate insights into sow health, behavior, and reproductive status. The technology, now available in North America, pairs a durable smart ear tag with... Read this article online
US China Trade Deal Sparks New Hopes for Agriculture Markets Monday, May 25, 2026 On the weekly with experts Farms.com Risk Management Chief Commodity Strategist Moe Agostino and Commodity Strategist Abhinesh Gopal the team review strong market movements during the week May 18 to 22, across agricultural markets, energy, and equities. The title for this week’s podcast... Read this article online
Major Weather Pattern Shift Signals Heat, Rain Relief, and El Niño Intensification Across U.S. Monday, May 25, 2026 A highly active stretch of weather across key agricultural regions in the United States is signaling a major shift in atmospheric patterns that could influence crop development, drought conditions, and summer forecasts saysEric Snodgrass,Sr. Science Fellow,Nutrien Ag Solutions. Over... Read this article online
Falling Behind on Direct Alcohol Shipping Deadline Monday, May 25, 2026 Canada’s small alcohol producers are growing increasingly frustrated as a promised timeline for direct-to-consumer (DTC) alcohol shipping reforms approaches with little visible progress. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling out federal and provincial... Read this article online
Saskatchewan Startup Unveils Portable Device to Detect Crop Diseases in the Field Monday, May 25, 2026 With global crop losses from pests and diseases reaching as high as 40 percent annually, a Saskatchewan-based startup is working to equip farmers with faster, more practical tools to protect their yields. PathoScan Technologies, founded in Saskatoon, has developed a portable... Read this article online