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Better Pork Featured Articles

Better Pork magazine is published bimonthly. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Harnessing power from pig poop

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Methane, once just the enemy of the ozone layer, is now being used as a valuable source of green energy.

A recent story on KSL.com profiled Circle Four Farms, a 75,000-sow operation near Milford, Utah. They produce 3.2 megawatts of energy from their pig manure and sell it to the local municipality. It's enough to power 3,000 homes for a year.

To create the biogas necessary for electricity, pig manure is processed by an anaerobic digester and the resulting methane is burned to produce energy that can be used onsite or sold as a commodity.

Pig poop is a reliable energy source because, as any pig farmer knows, it's never in short supply and is available anytime, not just when the sun shines or the wind blows.

The Ottawa-based Biogas Association's website lists 34 member projects within Ontario, the majority of which are "agricultural biogas, which fit(s) seamlessly into many farming operations."

Their 2013 Canadian Biogas Study says agricultural biogas has the potential to generate 550 megawatts of electricity per year, which would satisfy 2.1 per cent of Canada's natural gas demand while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25.5 million tonnes (the equivalent of taking 5,100,000
cars off the road). BP

Current Issue

August 2025

Better Pork Magazine

Farms.com Swine News

Organic Sales in Canada Hit $9.75B with Demand Growing

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

This September marks the 17th Organic Month in Canada, and the Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) is spotlighting the sector’s progress with its 2025 Quick Facts. The national campaign, which runs from September 1-30, raises awareness about the value of organic agriculture and... Read this article online

Ag in the House returning with fall session of Parliament

Monday, September 15, 2025

A new session of Parliament started on Sept. 15, meaning a new series of Ag in the House articles is soon to follow. For those new to the series, it’s a weekly article designed to keep members of the Canadian ag industry up to date about how much time issues related to agriculture receive... Read this article online

Cdn. delegation returns from canola trip to China

Monday, September 15, 2025

The prime minister’s office expressed optimism following a Canadian delegation’s trip to China about multiple trade issues including canola. Sask. Premier Scott Moe led the trip. Kody Blois, the parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Carney, participated as a federal... Read this article online

Strategies to Optimize Market Returns in Ontario

Monday, September 15, 2025

Berkley Fedorchuk, grain marketing specialist with Hensall Co-op in Southwestern Ontario, recently shared insights into the current corn market and strategies for forward marketing during his presentation at the . With a focus on the Ontario and Eastern Canadian grain sectors,... Read this article online

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