'Pocket pigs' pose problems Sunday, February 6, 2011 "Pocket pigs" got a big boost last year in Britain when celebrity guests, including soccer star David Beckham and his glamorous wife Victoria, went home from the Golden Globe movie awards with miniature pot-bellied pigs in their goodie bags. The pigs, which cost £3,000 to buy, were compliments of the owner of Patty's Royal Dandie Miniature Pet Pig. It was a good publicity stunt. By early December British authorities were warning of dangers involved in buying these pigs as pets for children. The pigs can carry and pass on the skin condition erysipeloid and the bacterium Streptococcus suis, which can lead to illness, including meningitis and deafness in humans. The micro pigs have been bred down to size, only 28 grams at birth. They still weigh as much as 29 kilograms and 35 centimetres in height when fully grown. They can live to be 18 years old. BP Manitoba producers sink under an increasing burden of regulation Worldwide hog production shrinks and Smithfield rocks
Import restrictions in place due to FMD identified in Cyprus Tuesday, December 30, 2025 An outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) has been detected in Cyprus, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). As a result, the CFIA implemented import restrictions on commodities from Cyprus "to safeguard the health of Canada’s livestock and mitigate the economic... Read this article online
Women Farmers Drive Growth in Canadian Agriculture Monday, December 29, 2025 For the first time since 1991, Statistics Canada reports a significant increase in female farm operators across Canada. In 2021, there were nearly 80,000 women leading farm operations. Today, that number is closer to 90,000—a milestone that reflects a powerful shift in the agricultural... Read this article online
Pocket Chainsaw: Change the Way You Deal with Pesky Trees and Bushes Friday, December 26, 2025 Are you frustrated with small trees and bushes along your farm's fence line, and tired of the hassle of starting your traditional chainsaw? The pocket chainsaw might be the perfect solution for you. Mountain Lab Gear is a company founded on a passion for the outdoors and a desire to improve... Read this article online
Year-End Ag and Energy Markets Face Broad Commodity Pressure Tuesday, December 23, 2025 Moe Agostino, chief commodity strategist with Farms.com, wrapped up the final Ag Commodity Corner+ podcast of 2025 on December 19, offering a wide-ranging review of weekly market performance and key forces shaping agriculture and energy markets as the year comes to a close. Weekly closes showed... Read this article online
Maizex Seeds Breaks Ground on $8.8 Million State-of-the-Art Seed Corn Facility in Blenheim Tuesday, December 23, 2025 Maizex Seeds, the seed division of Sollio Agriculture, has announced the groundbreaking of an $8.8 million investment in a new seed corn processing and packaging plant at its Blenheim, Ontario facility. “This is a significant investment by Maizex that not only supports the ability of... Read this article online