'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
CFIA Reports Show Strong Canadian Food Safety Compliance Across National Testing Programs Friday, June 5, 2026 Newly released data from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirms high compliance rates across commodities, as well as domestic and imported food products. The results, drawn from multiple national monitoring programs, highlight the effectiveness of Canada’s science-based... Read this article online
: Ontario Crops Show Strong Start Despite Weather Challenges Friday, June 5, 2026 Acorrding to the OMAFA fieldcropnews.com, crop conditions across Ontario indicate a generally positive start to the growing season, although dry weather and cool soil temperatures have created uneven growth and management challenges. Corn planting is nearly complete across most... Read this article online
FCC says with Productivity Gains, Canada’s Food Manufacturing Sector Could Add $40 Billion Friday, June 5, 2026 Canada’s food and beverage manufacturing sector could deliver a major economic boost over the next decade, but only if productivity growth accelerates, according to a new report from Farm Credit Canada (FCC). The report, , outlines how achieving three per cent annual GDP growth could add... Read this article online
North American Farm Groups Unite to Strengthen USMCA/CUSMA Ahead of 2026 Review Friday, June 5, 2026 Agricultural organizations from across the United States, Canada, and Mexico are presenting a unified message to governments: protect and strengthen the North American trade framework that underpins the continent’s food system. The letter, addressed to senior trade officials in all... Read this article online
FCC Investment Boosts Farm Lending Canada Growth Thursday, June 4, 2026 Farm Lending Canada (FLC) has received a strategic investment from Farm Credit Canada (FCC) to improve access to financing for farmers across Canada. This investment forms part of FCC’s broader plan to invest$2 billionin the agriculture and food sector by the year 2030. The funding aims... Read this article online