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
Rappa High-Speed Electric Fencing System Friday, June 12, 2026 Rappa has introduced its vehicle-mounted fencing solution, the Rappa Winder, to the U.S. market, offering a faster and more efficient way to install and retrieve electric fencing. The system reduces fencing time by up to 80 percent, allowing producers to deploy approximately 650... Read this article online
RDAR extends OFCAF pause to September Thursday, June 11, 2026 A non-profit organization in Alberta that supports producer-guided ag research is extending its pause on funding applications. Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), which receives funding from the province and federal government, won’t accept new applications for the 2026 On-Farm... Read this article online
BC Boosts Poultry Farm Disease Defense Thursday, June 11, 2026 The Government of British Columbia is continuing its efforts to support poultry farmers and protect the province’s food supply. Through the Novel Tools and Technologies Program, poultry producers are receiving financial help to upgrade their barns and reduce the risk of avian... Read this article online
Harry Siemens Honored for Farm Reporting Thursday, June 11, 2026 Veteran agricultural journalist Harry Siemens has been honored with the North American Farm Reporting Excellence Award. This award recognizes his more than 50 years of service in agricultural communication across Canada and North America. The award was created by well-known U.S. farm... Read this article online
CANZA Marketplace available for farmers Thursday, June 11, 2026 A new online resource is available for farmers looking to capitalize on climate-conscious farming practices. “The Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food’s (CANZA) Marketplace is a long-term national effort to recognize and reward farmers for their stewardship efforts on their farms,”... Read this article online