(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Manitoba pork industry grows despite ‘uncertainty’

Bacon plant, breeding facility show sector strength

MarketsFarm — The current state of Manitoba’s pork industry is evident in a pair of large investments within the sector, according to the general manager of Manitoba Pork. Cam Dahl, who was named GM of the provincial pork organization in February last year after previously working for Manitoba Beef Producers and Cereals Canada, cited two […] Read more

File photo of piglets at a hog operation in China. (KuLouKu/iStock/Getty Images)

Federal funding lined up for programs, planning against swine fever

Two-year package to go toward pork industry work

The federal government is putting up an eight-figure funding wall to help prevent African swine fever from ever reaching Canada’s hog farms — and to prepare against any breach. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said Aug. 26 the government will provide up to $45.3 million toward a three-pronged effort to boost disease prevention and preparedness: pork […] Read more


(Kelli Jo/iStock/Getty Images)

Hog sector to focus on margins in face of outside volatility

'Counter-cyclical' moves seen in markets

MarketsFarm — The hog sector has found itself caught up in the general uncertainty of many commodity and financial markets — making it more difficult than normal to predict where values could be headed. “We’re seeing a ton of volatility and it feels like we’re in a bit of transition on supply versus expectations,” said […] Read more

A McDonald’s restaurant sign in San Diego on March 31, 2015. (File photo: Reuters/Mike Blake)

McDonald’s calls Icahn demands on sourcing pigs ‘unfeasible’

Investor cites company's 10-year-old pledge

Boston | Reuters — McDonald’s Corp on Thursday said Carl Icahn’s call for the fast food chain to stop buying pork from suppliers that house the animals in crates would be logistically unfeasible and prohibitively expensive. The billionaire investor, who owns roughly US$50,000 worth of McDonald’s stock, is pushing the company to change how it […] Read more


File photo of piglets at a hog operation in China. (KuLouKu/iStock/Getty Images)

China’s hog output recovers, drags on Brazil pork exports

China's total Q1 pork imports down 64 per cent

Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazilian pork exporters are grappling with a drop in volumes shipped to their main buyer, China, which has increased its pork meat production after an outbreak of African swine fever in 2018. ASF forced China to cull millions of hogs and increase imports. China continued to be Brazil’s top pork […] Read more

A group of wild boars running in Europe, where the pigs have caused challenges with disease spread. (iStock/Getty Images)

Saskatchewan to license, limit wild boar farming

Moratorium placed on any new farms

Saskatchewan is tightening its rules on wild boar farming, including a moratorium on any new farms, in a renewed bid to keep the province’s feral pig population in check. The provincial ag ministry announced the moratorium Wednesday and said it’s “developing regulations for licensing existing commercial wild boar farms.” Regulations for wild boar and feral […] Read more



A view of the pig heart used in the transplant, before its removal from the pig, on Jan. 7, 2022. (Medschool.umaryland.edu)

U.S. man with transplanted GM pig heart dies, hospital says

Reuters — A 57-year-old man with terminal heart disease who made history as the first person to receive a genetically modified pig’s heart died Tuesday afternoon at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), the hospital said. David Bennett received the transplant on Jan 7. His condition began deteriorating several days ago, the hospital said […] Read more

Indian pork curry with naan bread. (Paul_Brighton/iStock/Getty Images)

India to allow imports of U.S. pork and products

Washington | Reuters — India has agreed to allow imports of U.S. pork and pork products into India, removing a longstanding barrier to U.S. agricultural trade, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Monday. “India’s agreement to allow U.S. pork imports for the first time is great news for U.S. […] Read more