'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
Ontario Community Food Program Wins BASF Rural Impact Award Wednesday, April 29, 2026 A community focused food initiative in Ontario has receivedsupportthrough a national agricultural support programsponsored by BASF.Petrolia Community Refrigeratorwas named thefirst-placewinner in Ontario under the2026 Growing Home with BASFprogram, earning a $25,000 award for its work in... Read this article online
Alta. producer feedback encouraged in Ghost-Kananaskis plan Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Alberta livestock producers are encouraged to participate in a public comment period related to the Ghost-Kananaskis Sub-regional Plan (SRP). This plan for the area west of Calgary along Alberta’s eastern slopes in the South Saskatchewan region, “will establish guidance for environmental... Read this article online
Farmland Rents Lag Land Values Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has released a new economic analysis highlighting a growing gap between farmland values and rental rates across the country, a trend that will likelyreshapeexpansion decisions for Canadian producers. According to the analysis, Canada’s average farmland... Read this article online
Ontario Funds for New Grain Innovation Projects Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Grain Farmers of Ontario has announced the successful applicants for its 2026 Grains Innovation Fund. The fund supports projects that increase the use, value, and demand for grains grown across Ontario. These efforts help build stronger domestic markets while encouraging innovation in... Read this article online
Drone Seeding Offers Hope for Ontario Wheat Farmers Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Farmers in parts of Ontario often struggle to plant winter wheat at the right time. The ideal planting period usually comes before soybeans are harvested, which can delay wheat seeding and reduce yields. This timing conflict makes it difficult for farmers tomaintainproper crop rotation and... Read this article online