Feral hogs being poisoned with bacon preservative Monday, October 6, 2014 In a cruel twist of fate, America's five million feral hogs may soon be poisoned by the very preservative that cures the flesh of their domesticated counterparts.The Associated Press reports that sodium nitrite, already used to poison feral swine in Australia and New Zealand, is being tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It's currently illegal to poison pigs in the United States, but hunting and trapping have been inadequate controls for the problematic porkers. Wild pigs cost approximately US$1.5 billion a year, which includes $800 million in agricultural damage.Feral pigs do more than just uproot veggies and eat crops. In 2006, three people died and 200 were sickened by a batch of California spinach tainted with E. coli. Wild pig feces were identified as a likely source of the bacteria.Sodium nitrite is much more toxic to pigs than people, so it should be safe to use. So far, it hasn't reached the 90 per cent kill rate needed for Environmental Protection Agency consideration. Also, challenges have arisen in making the bait palatable and enticing, and creating a bait container other animals can't break into. So hogs are safe, for now. BP EU pig industry 'out of control,' say animal welfarists Behind the Lines - October 2014
Canadian Barley Farming has the Lowest Carbon Intensity Monday, July 14, 2025 A new study by the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan shows that barley grown in Saskatchewan and Western Canada has the lowest carbon intensity among all global regions studied. The research used international standards for carbon life cycle... Read this article online
Alta. farmer stars in new Lay’s chips ad Monday, July 14, 2025 An Alberta farmer is one of the faces behind a new campaign highlighting the Canadian farmers and Canadian potatoes behind each bag of Lay’s chips. Chris Perry is a fourth-generation farmer from Coaldale where his family grows potatoes as well as other crops like barley, peas and sugar... Read this article online
Monster Corn Yield Projected Monday, July 14, 2025 On the weekly , Farms.com Risk Management’s Chief Commodity Strategist Moe Agostino and Commodity Strategist Abhinesh Gopal, provided market insights for the week of July 7 to 11 focused on rising corn yields, trade tensions, and shifting investor sentiment. StoneX Group has projected... Read this article online
Ontario Tender Fruit Season off to a Strong Start Monday, July 14, 2025 Ontario's 2025 tender fruit and table grape season is off to a promising start reports the Ontario Tender Fruit and Fresh Grape Growers. While the weather may be too hot for some farmers, it has has been ideal for producing a sweet and juicy crop. A cooler-than-usual spring delayed the... Read this article online
Fresh Immigration Stream for Farm Jobs Friday, July 11, 2025 Canada’s agriculture industry is facing serious labour shortages. To resolve this issue, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is working on a new immigration stream that will help bring international workers into this essential sector. The Agri-Food Pilot, which previously... Read this article online