Behind the Lines - February 2016 Tuesday, February 9, 2016 Based in the heart of western Ontario's pork-producing belt and with a long history in the hog transporting business, Doug Luckhart saw a need for a better way to move hogs to market coming. He was already working with trailer manufacturers in Europe and the United States when animal rightists stepped up their activities in 2015 and Toronto-based animal activist Anita Krajnc made herself famous last summer by being arrested for mischief for watering pigs outside the Sofina plant in Burlington. Truckers and farmers can't win this battle, Luckhart says. "We can do better." Senior Staff Editor Don Stoneman's story on humane trucking starts on page 6.While Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea has garnered huge headlines in the last couple of years (that's what happens when an epidemic skews a commodity's prices), our resident contributing veterinarian Ernest Sanford points out that Porcine Reproductive Syndrome Virus and Porcine Parvovirus are still the most profit-robbing diseases hurting pork profits. Read what Sanford has to say about that starting on page 18.Computer algorithms may already be a familiar term to farmers who use higher-tech methods in their fields to determine where fertilizer should be spread. But in the pig barn to monitor and analyze when coughing pigs are becoming sick? Our Europe writer Norman Dunn is always bringing us new technology from across the pond. His story starts on page 21. BPROBERT IRWIN Sizzle hasn't left the price of bacon Pork council victor in ear tag dust-up
Minnesota Wildfires Threaten Agriculture as Governor Walz Mobilizes National Guard Monday, July 13, 2026 Farmers across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario and Manitoba are closely monitoring a growing wildfire situation in northern Minnesota after Governor Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency and mobilized the Minnesota National Guard to assist firefighting efforts. The decision... Read this article online
Gordie Howe International Bridge Could Boost Canadian Agriculture Through Faster Trade and Lower Costs Monday, July 13, 2026 The upcoming opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor, Ont., and Detroit, Mich., could provide significant long-term benefits for Canada's agriculture and agri-food sectors. As announced last week, it is scheduled to open on July 27, 2026. The six-lane... Read this article online
Ontario Cherries are Ready to Eat Monday, July 13, 2026 Ontario Cherry Season Begins Across Key Fruit-Growing Regions Ontario's cherry season is officially underway, bringing one of the province's mostanticipatedsummer fruits to farm markets, grocery stores, and roadside stands. Harvest activity typically begins in July and continues through... Read this article online
New Canola Hybrids to Help Western Canadian Growers Combat Disease Pressure Friday, July 10, 2026 As disease pressure intensifies and weather conditions become increasingly unpredictable across Western Canada, crop genetics are playing a more important role in helping growers protect yield potential and maintain profitability. Proven Seed, the proprietary seed brand of Nutrien Ag... Read this article online
How Farmers and Rural Residents Can Protect Themselves from Tick-Borne Illnesses Friday, July 10, 2026 For many Canadians, ticks were once considered a problem limited to a few isolated regions of the country. Today, that is no longer the case. As temperatures warm and tick habitats expand, public health officials are reporting increasing numbers of Lyme disease and other tick-borne... Read this article online