'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
Global Efforts Secure Future of Canadian Wheat Thursday, April 23, 2026 Canadian wheat reaches more than eighty international markets annually. Large shipment volumes anda strong reputationmake stable global demand essential. The country holds top positions in durum wheat and oats exports and continues to rank among the world’s leading wheat exporters.... Read this article online
Rising Fertilizer Prices Could Shift Canada 2026 Crop Plans Thursday, April 23, 2026 Farm Credit Canada (FCC) Economicsre-affirms what every Canadian farmer already knows, Canadian farmers are approaching the 2026 seeding season with higher uncertainty than usual. Rising fertilizer prices, influenced by global instability and conflict in the Middle East, are increasing... Read this article online
HPAI confirmed in Saskatchewan Thursday, April 23, 2026 Saskatchewan has its first cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) of 2026. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) website indicates three detections between April 14 and 17 in three separate rural municipalities. On April 14, HPAI was detected in a commercial poultry... Read this article online
Soybean Cyst Nematode Is in almost every soybean producing state and province Thursday, April 23, 2026 Understanding Detection, Prevention, and Management of Soybeans’ Most Costly Pest Soybean cyst nematode (SCN), , remains the most damaging pathogen affecting soybeans in North America, costing U.S. farmers more than one billion dollars in lost yield annually. Updated national surveys... Read this article online
Ontario Exempts Farmlands from Stormwater Fees Thursday, April 23, 2026 The Ontario government has takenan important stepto support farmers by exempting eligible agricultural lands from municipal stormwater fees. This decision is expected to bring meaningful financial relief to farmers across the province and strengthen the agricultural sector. Stormwater... Read this article online