'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
BC’s Outstanding Young Farmer named for 2026 competition Tuesday, February 3, 2026 BC’s Outstanding Young Farmers program has selected Chilliwack producer Corné Quik as its 2026 regional winner, announcing the honour during the on January 22. Quik will go on to represent the BC/Yukon region at the national competition in Vancouver from November 26-29,... Read this article online
SaskCrops Raises Alarm Over Research Cuts Tuesday, February 3, 2026 SaskCropshas expressedserious concernover recent staffing reductions and research station closures announced by Agriculture and Agri Food Canada. The group says these changes could reduce the ability to carry out important crop research that supports farmers across Saskatchewan and... Read this article online
Canadian farmers wanted for mental health survey Tuesday, February 3, 2026 Researchers are encouraging Canadian farmers to participate in a mental health survey. The National Survey of Farmer and Rancher Mental Health in Canada (take the survey in French here) aims to understand experiences related to stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, resilience, and... Read this article online
Hog Sector Outlook Strong in Early 2026 Monday, February 2, 2026 After a surprisingly strong 2025, the Canadian hog sector is starting 2026 on a positive notesays FCC.Hog'sfutures are near five-year highs, and global markets are more balanced after several years of oversupply and weaker demand. Combined with lower feed costs, this is creating supportive... Read this article online
Crude Oil Rises and Metals Drop in Commodity Markets Last Week Monday, February 2, 2026 On the weekly , experts Moe Agostino and Abhinesh Gopal reviewed major market movements during the week of January 26 to 30, by pointing to two drivers: a jump in crude oil tied to US-Iran tensions and a sudden plunge in precious metals. Wheat finished the week higher, while several... Read this article online