'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
FCC Investing $1.5 Million in Rural Community Projects Across Canada Wednesday, October 28, 2026 Rural communities across Canada are receiving a boost from Farm Credit Canada (FCC), which is investing $1.5 million through its FCC AgriSpirit Fund to support 83 community projects designed to improve local infrastructure, services and gathering spaces. The funding will help rural... Read this article online
Barry Friesen Honoured for Advancing Farm Recycling Tuesday, October 27, 2026 The Recycling Council of Alberta (RCA) has recognized retired Cleanfarms Executive Director Barry Friesen with its prestigious Rs of Excellence Circular Champion Recognition Award. The honour celebrates his long-standing contributions to agricultural recycling, environmental stewardship, and... Read this article online
Bayer Invests $45M in New Canadian Canola Innovation Centre Tuesday, October 27, 2026 Canadian canola research is receiving a major investment, with Bayer Crop Science committing more than $45 million CAD to establish a new canola innovation centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The facility is expected to strengthen Bayer's Canadian research and development capabilities, with... Read this article online
B.C. ag will be represented in the Legislative Assembly Tuesday, October 27, 2026 British Columbians elected members of the province’s ag and food community during the 2026 election. At least four MLAs will bring experience working on farms or in B.C.’s food sector once the Legislative Assembly sits again. In Nechako Lakes, for example, rancher Diane Black with... Read this article online
Ag in the House: Oct. 19 – 23 Tuesday, October 27, 2026 During question period on Oct. 20, a Conservative MP from Ontario wanted the government to share how it is supporting an ag business. Jamie Schmale, the MP for Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes, told the House that Mariposa Dairy in Linsday, Ont. is “being hit with a $4.5-million bill every... Read this article online