'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 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
Lallemand Donates $5,000 to Three Canadian Communities Wednesday, September 30, 2026 Lallemand Plant Care provides $5,000 donations to three rural community projects in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta through the 2026 Hometown Roots Contest. The winning entries reflect the strong connections between agriculture, local residents, and community development. In... Read this article online
New AI Tools for Alberta Farmers Wednesday, September 30, 2026 Alberta is making a major investment in agricultural innovation through seven new genomics and data science projects designed to provide practical solutions for farmers and producers. Supported by Genome Alberta and the Government of Alberta, the projects represent a combined investment of... Read this article online