Acorn-eating pigs save ponies Thursday, December 5, 2013 After a wet spring and a dry summer, there's a bumper crop of acorns in the Hampshire woodland on the southern coast of England. That's bad news for the region's famous New Forest ponies. In a Daily Mail article, top forest official Jonathan Gerelli said: 'The problem is that our ponies like the acorns but the acorns don't like them. If they eat them, they tend to start to bleed internally and die a horrible death."But the acorns aren't poisonous to pigs, so every year in about mid-September local farmers let their pigs loose in the forest to save the ponies from themselves by eating the fallen acorns first. This practice is known as "pannage," and has been going on in the region since the 19th century, when some 6,000 pigs would forage. These days, the number is usually around 200, though the unusually high amount of acorns called for double the pigs this year. After about 60 days in the 70,000-acre forest, the pigs are rounded up and returned to their farms. As a side benefit, pannage fattens up the pigs for Christmas. BP Eating bacon may extend your life Gestation crates (almost) banned in New Jersey
FCC's New 6,000-Acre Innovation Farm in Manitoba Thursday, July 17, 2025 Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is enhancing its Innovation Farm Network to support Canadian farmers and foster agricultural innovation. The network has expanded by adding a 6,000-acre farm in MacGregor, Manitoba, with 2,600 acres dedicated to growing potatoes. This is the first time a potato... Read this article online
North American Pork Leaders Focus on Health Thursday, July 17, 2025 Leaders from the Canadian Pork Council (CPC), the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) from the United States, and the Mexican Pork Producer Organization (OPORMEX) recently gathered at a trilateral meeting in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario. The goal was to discuss key issues related to... Read this article online
Canadian Pork Council rejoins Canadian Federation of Agriculture Thursday, July 17, 2025 The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) has a new old member. The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) has rejoined the national organization, bringing the total number of CFA members to 28. The pork producer group withdrew from the CFA in 2013 over trade policies. “We are unwilling to... Read this article online
Celebrate Farming with Alberta Open Farm Days 2025 Thursday, July 17, 2025 Alberta Open Farm Days returns on August 16 and 17, 2025, inviting Albertans to explore the heart of agriculture and rural tourism. This annual event connects people with local farmers and food producers, offering a chance to learn about farm life and food production. Now in its 13th... Read this article online
Ag buildings among Manitoba’s most endangered structures Thursday, July 17, 2025 Two buildings related to Manitoba’s ag history are among the most endangered in the province. The Scallion Granary and the Lake of the Woods Grain Elevator appear on the Manitoba Historical Society’s list of the Top 10 Endangered Structures for 2025. The list is made up of... Read this article online