'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
Using bats to protect crops and livestock Saturday, October 17, 2026 Just as Batman has been known to use live bats to thwart crime in Gotham City, B.C. farmers are invited to learn about employing bats to stop insects causing crop and livestock damage. The Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society and the BC Community Bat Program are hosting a free event... Read this article online
Sask. opens consultations on farmland law Friday, October 16, 2026 The Saskatchewan government is inviting farmers and others to take an online survey related to farm legislation. Until Nov. 30, Saskatchewanians can participate in the public consultation related to The Saskatchewan Farm Security Act, which covers multiple farm ownership... Read this article online
Canadian Tractor and Combine Sales Fall Sharply in September 2026. What It Says About Farmer Confidence Friday, October 16, 2026 Canadian farmers appear to be taking a measured approach to equipment purchases in 2026, as new machinery sales continued to weaken through September. According to the latest monthly "Flash Report" from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), total tractor sales in Canada... Read this article online
Women-Led Agriculture Businesses Get a Boost Friday, October 16, 2026 The Government of Canada is providing an additional $628,501 to Agricultrices du Québec to support women entrepreneurs in the agricultural and forestry sectors through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES). The funding will help women access business training, mentorship,... Read this article online
Mahindra and Clean Seed Unveil Zero-Till Seeding Solution Friday, October 16, 2026 Mahindra & Mahindra has begun commercial production and supply of the MaxSeeder, a precision zero-till, multi-crop seeding machine developed under license from Canadian company Clean Seed Technologies. The launch combines advanced planting technology with Mahindra’s manufacturing... Read this article online