'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
Western Dairy Challenge 2026 Highlights Monday, March 23, 2026 The 2026 Western Regional Dairy Challenge, hosted at the University of Alberta, concluded on March 7 in Camrose, Alberta, Canada. The event brought together 77 students from 15 schools, along with coaches and volunteers, creating a valuable hands-on learning experience in dairy... Read this article online
FCC Expands Support Amid Fertilizer Cost Surges Monday, March 23, 2026 Rising global tensions in the Middle East are creating concern among farmers and agribusinesses about increasing input costs. In response, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has expanded its Trade Disruption Customer Support Program to provide financial relief and stability to those affected by higher... Read this article online
Fears of Stagflation and Recession on the Rise Monday, March 23, 2026 This week’s with experts Farms.com Risk Management Chief Commodity Strategist Moe Agostino and Commodity Strategist Abhinesh Gopal, Was titled “Higher Crude Oil Futures for Longer = Stagflation?”. The two experts explored major shifts across the commodity sector including rising crude oil... Read this article online
CSBP pushing for domestic production policy Monday, March 23, 2026 The Canadian Sugar Beet Producers (CSBP) wants to see more of its namesake crop grown and processed in Canada. At one point, sugar beets accounted for more than 20 per cent of the Canadian sugar market share. But that’s no longer the case, says Gwen Young, an Alberta sugar beet farmer... Read this article online
New Canadian Swine Research Targets Piglet Disease Monday, March 23, 2026 Swine InnovationPorc(SIP) is investing in new research to address Streptococcus suis, a harmful bacterial disease affecting post-weaned piglets led byDongyanXu Niu at the University of Calgary. This disease can cause serious health problems such as respiratory illness, meningitis, and sudden... Read this article online