Fighting tapeworm in backyard pigs Tuesday, April 2, 2013 A bursary awarded to Ellen Hughes, a student at Britain's Cambridge University, is aimed at improving the management of backyard pigs in Ghana and other sub-Saharan countries.Pigs don't grow as well as they could when they are infected with the pig tapeworm Taenia solium Cysticercosis. Human hosts do even worse. The tapeworm is known to spread Neurocysticercosis, a major cause of epilepsy in the sub-Sahara. This so-called "acquired" epilepsy shows up more often in the developed world because of immigration.Humans are the only host known to harbour the adult tapeworm. Both pigs and humans can harbour the larvae or cysticerci. Vegetarians and other non-pork eaters can acquire the disease through fecal contamination of their food. The tiny embryos travel through the blood stream to muscles and brain, where they can grow to be a centimetre in size, causing epileptic seizures in 85 per cent of patients where the disease has been identified. BP The ractopamine-free market European stall crackdown takes its time
Fertilizer Canada Welcomes Supply Chain and Labour Measures in Bill C-39 Friday, September 25, 2026 Canada's fertilizer sector is throwing its support behind the federal government's proposed Building Canada Strong Act, saying the legislation could help strengthen the transportation and supply chain systems that are critical to agricultural trade. Fertilizer Canada President and CEO... Read this article online
Equipment Technician Demand Reaches New Highs Friday, September 25, 2026 Canada's agriculture and construction equipment industry is facing a growing shortage of skilled technicians, according to a new report released by industry organizations the Canada Equipment Dealers Association (CEDF)and the Associated Equipment Distributors Foundation (AEDF). The findings... Read this article online
B.C. ag minister won’t seek re-election Friday, September 25, 2026 British Columbia’s minister of agriculture won’t run in the next provincial election when the time comes. Lana Popham, the NDP MLA for Saanich South currently in her second tenure as the ag community’s voice in the provincial legislature, made the announcement on Sept. 21. “I am sad to... Read this article online
Dorothy Long Leads New Era for Canadian Food Focus Thursday, September 24, 2026 Canadian Food Focus is entering a new stage of growth with the appointment of Dorothy Long as Executive Director. The organization, which focuses on improving food literacy and public trust in agriculture, aims to help Canadians better understand where their food comes from and how it is... Read this article online
Judy Sweet Strengthens Future of Farm Education Thursday, September 24, 2026 A significant investment in agricultural education is set to benefit students, researchers and the livestock industry in western Canada. Long-time Lakeland College supporter Judy Sweet has contributed funding to the Student-Managed Farm (SMF) Lab Revitalization Project. The investment... Read this article online