'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
Preparing for Farming Uncertainty Friday, July 31, 2026 Farm Management Canada has introduced a new report that proposes a , aimed at improving how Canadian producers and agricultural service providers understand and use the wide range of risk management programs, tools and practices available to them. The report highlights that while... Read this article online
Rural Albertans wanted for grief study Friday, July 31, 2026 Researchers from the University of Alberta are looking to connect with rural Albertans who’ve dealt with grief related to substance use. “What we’ve been hearing from our past research and work in the community is there’s a lot of substance use related grief,” Holly Mathias, a human... Read this article online
Central Ontario FS Expands Grain Network with Acquisition of Haley's Elevator in Burford Friday, July 31, 2026 Central Ontario FS is strengthening its presence in southwestern Ontario after signing a purchase agreement to acquire Haley's Elevator Inc., a long-established grain handling facility located in Burford. The acquisition marks another step in the growth of the company's grain elevator... Read this article online
Ag Union concerned about MOU related to Sask. research farms Thursday, July 30, 2026 The union representing agriculture workers in the public sector is concerned an MOU to keep two research farms in Saskatchewan open will ultimately result in job losses. The Agriculture Union, which represents more than 770 workers in federal agencies like the Canadian Food Inspection... Read this article online
Manitoba Produces Most of the Nation's Sunflower Crop Wednesday, July 29, 2026 With their bright yellow blooms and towering stalks, sunflowers are among the most recognizable crops in agriculture. While they are often associated with decorative gardens and summer tourism, sunflowers also represent an important commercial crop in Canada, supplying food, birdseed, and... Read this article online