A long ride is less stressful Wednesday, August 10, 2011 Shorter truck trips are more stressful to market hogs than longer truck rides, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Animal Science.The reason? Pigs need time to recover from the stress of loading before they get stressed again when they disembark, says Prof. Michael Ellis, at the University of Illinois's Urbana-Champaign campus.Another stress factor is floor space. Overcrowding is stressful, but pigs that have too much space are thrown around as the livestock truck moves. University researchers found that U.S. market pigs on average require five square feet each.Co-author of the study with Ellis was Bradley Wolter, chief operating officer of the Maschhoffs packing company in Carlyle, Ill. Wolter says working with Ellis allowed the company to reduce pig losses due to transportation and handling by more than one percentage point in a system that was already well managed and where less than half a per cent of pigs died because of movement and handling. BP Another sign of bacon's popularity: clogged drains 'Welfarists' pressure supermarkets
Grain Traders Monitor China Summit and Crop Estimates Monday, September 21, 2026 Grain and oilseed markets showed mixed movement during the week of September 18, 2026, as traders focused on U.S. yield revisions, Black Sea export disruptions, Canadian production estimates, crop conditions in Western Canada, and expectations surrounding the upcoming U.S.-China summit.... Read this article online
Federal government invests in farm safety Monday, September 21, 2026 The federal government is investing in an organization dedicated to farm safety. Ben Carr, the MP for Winnipeg South Centre, on Sept. 20 announced a federal investment of more than $1 million over two years for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) to help the organization... Read this article online
Ag Minister MacDonald Tours Southern Ontario Monday, September 21, 2026 Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector received a strong vote of confidence during a recent southern Ontario tour by Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald. Throughout the visit, the Minister met with farmers, food processors, agribusiness leaders and community organizations... Read this article online
Harvest Weather Alert: Midwest Rain Risks Rise as Super El Nino Strengthens Monday, September 21, 2026 As summer gives way to autumn, farmers across the U.S. Midwest and parts of Canada are watching a weather pattern that appears poised to become increasingly active during the heart of harvest season. According to Nutrien Ag Solutions meteorologist Eric Snodgrass, recent atmospheric... Read this article online
U of G Launches Powering Food Futures Initiative, Invites Farmers to Shape Canada’s Agri-Food Future Monday, September 21, 2026 A new national initiative is inviting farmers, industry leaders, researchers and policymakers to help shape the future of Canada’s agri-food sector at a time when food security, climate resilience and global competitiveness are taking on heightened importance. Powering Food Futures, a... Read this article online