North 49 Foods offers details on benefits of $1 million investment to prepare for foreign animal disease

With the support of the Saskatchewan Government and Sask Pork, North 49 Foods will be helping the western Canadian pork industry be better prepared to address foreign animal disease. The Government of Saskatchewan and Sask Pork have allocated $1 million to support the creation of a cull line at the North 49 Foods sow processing facility being built by Donald’s Fine Foods in Moose Jaw. Earlier this week, Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit announced $700,000 in funding to support swine disease mitigation efforts with Sask Pork providing $300,000 towards a swine market disruption plan, which will help industry respond to potential market closures due to an animal health emergency.

Industry NewsGuest UserJanuary 20, 2023Sask Pork, Neil Ketilson, Donald's Fine Foods, North 49 Foods

Sask Pork announces first youth ambassador for the new "The Whole Hog" program

Sask Pork launched a new youth ambassador program today. The Whole Hog Youth Ambassador for 2023 will be 10-year-old Reise Podordeski of Marcelin, Saskatchewan. The Whole Hog videos will be released on the Sask Pork and Pick Pork social media channels and featured on the Sask Pork website. The videos will focus on basic consumer questions like “why do pigs usually live in barns” and more behind-the scenes content such as “what do pigs do for fun” and “why is the hog industry in Saskatchewan a big deal”.

Government of Saskatchewan and Sask Pork invest $1 million in swine disease preparedness

Today, Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit announced $700,000 in funding to support swine disease mitigation efforts. Sask Pork will also be providing $300,000 towards a swine market disruption plan, which will help industry respond to potential market closures due to an animal health emergency event such as African swine fever.

Pork producers advised to lock-in futures prices as contacts reach record levels

The Director of Risk Management with HAMS Marketing Services is advising pork producers to take advantage of strong futures and lock in prices as new highs are established on a lot of the spring and summer month contracts. As a result of reduced slaughter hog supplies due to health challenges in the U.S., 2022 has been among the three most profitable years for pork producers over the past decade.

Industry NewsGuest UserJanuary 5, 2023H@ms Marketing, HAMS Marketing Services, Tyler Fulton, Sask Pork

Advance rather than reactionary planning is key for African swine fever

The Regional Director of PIC EMEAR suggests a key lesson learned from the European African Swine Fever experience has been the value of advanced rather than reactionary planning for dealing with an outbreak.
"African Swine Fever: Learning from the European Experience," was one of sessions at the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium in November in Saskatoon.

Simple strategies can help reduce negative effects of stress for hog farmers

The creator of High Heels and Canola Fields says simple strategies can make a big difference when it comes to dealing with the everyday stresses that occur on the farm. "When Stress is More Than a Season" was the keynote address last month at the 45th annual Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium. Lesley Kelly, the creator of High Heels and Canola Fields, a mental wellness website, and a co-founder of Do More Ag, noted mental stress can result in physical symptoms but the signs will vary from person to person.

Farm Health Guardian provides update on progress with Saskatchewan pilot project

A study underway in Saskatchewan will provide pork producers in Saskatchewan a clearer idea of which swine transport vehicle movement tracking technology works best on their farms. Guelph-based Farm Health Guardian and Sask Pork are collaborating on a pilot project to assess the performance of technologies designed to track swine transport vehicle movements.

Effective farm safety plan reduces hazards and improves productivity

The Strategic Advisor Agriculture with Workplace Safety and Prevention Services suggests an effective farm safety plan that that eliminates hazards should improve both the safety and productivity of the farm.
"Farm Safety: The Top 10 Greatest Risk Factors and How to Avoid Injury" was among the topics examined during the 45th annual Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium last month in Saskatoon.

WCVM SMART program expected to increase number of swine vets in Canada

A new initiative being developed by the Western College of Veterinary Medicine will help address the shortage of swine veterinarians across Canada. In response to the shortage, particularly in swine, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine is launching a new swine medicine advancement, recruitment and training, or SMART program.

Cooking with pork highlighted at Canadian Western Agribition

The largest livestock show in Canada returned to Regina on Monday, November 28th and Sask Pork was on-site all week with ag education, cooking demos, and a charity partnership. Over the course of the week, Canadian Western Agribition opened its doors to approximately 120,000 attendees, including 1,200 international guests from 63 countries, and around 10,000 school children from urban and rural areas across Saskatchewan.

Sask Pork GM Mark Ferguson shares what's new in hog production with Saskatchewan farmers

Sask Pork’s General Manager Mark Ferguson sat down with Saskatchewan Farmers’ Voice magazine to highlight what’s new in the hog industry, the biggest challenges producers are facing, and why others might want to add hogs to their farming operations.

Including amino acids in swine rations improves immune function and gun health and development

Research conducted on behalf of Swine Innovation Porc indicates, in addition to influencing growth, the inclusion of amino acids in swine rations can influence gut health, gut development and immune function.

Pork Producers Advised to Create, Implement and Adhere to a Farm Safety Plan

The Strategic Advisor Agriculture with Workplace Safety and Prevention Services says the key to maintaining a safe agricultural workplace is to have a plan and to make sure everyone believes in that plan and follows it. Dean Anderson told attendees at the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium 2022, the sectors that face the greatest risks tend to be those that have the largest equipment without a formal health and safety program, including agriculture.

Best deadstock removal option depends on individual farms, says Symposium guest

When managing deadstock, pork producers are encouraged to consider their own location, management and biosecurity situations when deciding on the best option. "Alternative Methods for Deadstock Management" was a featured topic at the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium in Saskatoon this year.

New Saskatchewan facility expected to reduce shipping distance and cost plus boost cross-border biosecurity

A new cull sow slaughtering facility under development in Saskatchewan is expected to reduce shipping distances and costs for western Canadian pork producers while reducing the risk of the cross-border movement of swine disease.

Adoption of technology on hog farms expected to accelerate, says Symposium speaker

The CEO of OPTIfarm expects the adoption of technology on livestock operations to accelerate in response to shortages of labor. "Is Technology the Answer for Improved Animal Care?" was one of the speaker sessions at the 45th annual Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium in Saskatoon last week.

Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium returns to large crowds

The 45th annual Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium returned as a live event for the first time in three years this past week at the Saskatoon Inn and Convention Centre. Nearly 300 hog farmers, industry stakeholders and partners attended from across Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec for the two-day event held on November 15-16th.

Domestic pork consumption driving North American pork markets: Symposium keynote

An economist with Partners for Production Agriculture expects domestic demand for pork to be the key factor driving pork prices heading into 2023. "The North American Outlook for Pork" was the keynote address on Day 2 of last week’s Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium 2022 in Saskatoon. Economist Dr. Steve Meyer says, while U.S. domestic pork demand has been stellar since the COVID shutdowns of 2020 and has been a key factor driving pork markets, it's been a disappointing year for exports from both the U.S. and Canada.

Sask Pork recognizes local swine specialists with Awards of Distinction

Sask Pork honoured two local swine experts with Saskatchewan Pork Industry Awards of Distinction at the 45th annual Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium this week. Researcher Dr. Jennifer Brown with Prairie Swine Centre (PSC) and veterinarian Dr. Josh Lindenbach received top honours from the hog industry at the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium dinner and Awards of Distinction on November 15th at the Saskatoon Inn and Conference Centre.

Symposium speaker shares new research comparing antibiotic-free vs. conventional swine production

Research conducted by the Prairie Swine Centre shows a dramatic reduction in antibiotic usage on swine farms following Raised Without Antibiotics production practices. Dr. Bernardo Predicala, a Research Scientist Engineering with the Prairie Swine Center, shared his research at the 45th annual Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium 2022 in Saskatoon.

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