Photo: Geralyn Wichers

China wants slimmer pigs

Chinese government cracking down on speculative “refattening” practice

Chinese farmers and small firms have increasingly bought market-ready pigs from larger breeders and fattened them in a bet on higher prices, but the government is cracking down on the speculative practice to slim down hogs and stabilize the market.






Livestock price insurance is one business risk management program that producers are being told to consider this year, but there are some common misunderstandings about the program.

Farm funding and insurance materials need to be clear

Farmers are less likely to turn to agricultural programs meant to help them if those programs are frustrating to navigate

Canadian farmers are less likely to turn to agricultural programs meant to help them, like business risk management or on-farm funding, if those programs are frustrating to navigate.


Rudy Wall of Cochrane Creek Farm selling hot dogs from his cart

All in a dog day’s work

People: Heritage hog producer sells his hot dogs, and more, on a frozen Lake Winnipeg

Rudy Wall of Cochrane Creek Farm north of Winnipeg, Man., raises heritage breed pigs and produces the meat locally to sell from his hot dog cart.

A premise in southeastern Manitoba has a confirmed infection of porcine deltacoronavirus, Manitoba Pork said.

Manitoba confirms porcine deltacoronavirus

Virus comes with similar, but less severe symptoms as PED

It won’t cause the same production hit as its relative, PED, but no one was happy to see a confirmed Manitoba case of porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV). One premise in southeastern Manitoba has confirmed infection, Manitoba Pork has said. Jenelle Hamblin, the industry group’s manager of swine health, said they were unaware of other farms struggling