'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
Plant Essential Oils Boost Swine Growth Monday, April 6, 2026 A long-term study conducted by researchers at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, has highlighted the potential of plant-based essential oils as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in swine production.... Read this article online
Alberta Water Reporting Rules May Ease for Small Farms Monday, April 6, 2026 The Government of Alberta has introduced changes to the Water Act that will require mandatory water use reporting. These new rules aim to improve water management and ensure sustainable use of resources. However, discussions are ongoing, and farmers still have an opportunity to shape how... Read this article online
Ag in the House: March 23 – 26 Monday, April 6, 2026 During the March 25 session of question period, Conservative Ag Critic John Barlow wondered which Liberal policies have hurt farmers the most. “Is it the fact that the Liberals are closing seven research centres and firing hundreds of scientists? Is it because we are the only G7 country... Read this article online
Operating farm equipment in Manitoba Monday, April 6, 2026 Farms.com’s third look into insurance and road rules for farm equipment in Canada is for Manitoba’s ag community. Do Manitobans need a license to drive a tractor? If the driver is at least 16, and the tractor is on private land, or temporarily on a public road for travel between fields... Read this article online
Study reveals key climate drivers of potato beetle outbreaks Monday, April 6, 2026 A long term research project from Michigan State University (MSU) and the University of Wisconsin is offering new insight into what drives Colorado potato beetle outbreaks, giving US potato growers a clearer picture of how weather patterns and environmental conditions shape one of the... Read this article online