'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
Hemp Holds Ground on the Prairies as Demand for Seed-Based Foods Fuels Interest Thursday, October 1, 2026 Looking for a niche crop for your crop rotation? The Canadian Prairies continue to be the centre of the country's hemp industry, producing the majority of the hemp seed used in food products sold across North America. Industrial hemp has been legally grown in Canada since 1998 under a... Read this article online
Senate pays tribute to Todd Lewis Thursday, October 1, 2026 Canadian senators used their time on Sept. 29 to remember a colleague and Saskatchewan farmer. Senate Speaker Raymonda Gagné granted senators additional time to pay tribute to Senator Todd Lewis who passed away on July 31 at age 65. The farmer from Gray, Sask., and former president of... Read this article online
Alberta Beef Producers Backs Stronger Cattle Traceability Plan Wednesday, September 30, 2026 Alberta cattle producers could see a new chapter in livestock traceability as Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) moves forward with recommendations aimed at strengthening cattle movement tracking while keeping producers at the centre of the process. The recommendations come from the Working... Read this article online
British Columbia Farmers Can Safely Dispose of Ag Waste Wednesday, September 30, 2026 Farmers across Vancouver Island and the Fraser Valley are preparing for this year’s Unwanted Pesticides and Old Livestock/Equine Medications (UPLM) program, Cleanfarms’ long-running environmental stewardship initiative. The Canada-wide program gives farmers a free and responsible way... Read this article online
Canadian Farm Groups Call for National Plant Breeding Strategy Wednesday, September 30, 2026 Grain Farmers of Ontario and several producer and industry organizations across Canada are urging the government to establish a national plant breeding strategy that reflects the different needs of crops, regions and farmers. The groups have released a joint vision titled; A National... Read this article online