Cramer Ag Expo
The one day trade show will take place Thursday February 16th in Swift Current at Kinetic Park from 8:30 am – 5 pm. See you at the sold out trade show. Be sure to stay on site till the end of the day for the Cramer Cup series winners. A reminder that the top carcasses will be auctioned off for charity. •
APC Industry Award Nominations
Now is the time to send in your nominations for the Alberta Pork Congress Industry Awards.
Lifetime Achievement Award (Honours individuals who have played an integral role in advancing the pork industry in Alberta and celebrates their long-term commitment and unwavering dedication to the industry).
Farm Team Award (Recognizes the farm unit which operates in an exemplary manner through commitment and longevity of the staff with virtues of hard work and cooperation, celebrating dedication of the team toward working together for the success of the farm).
Pork Industry Ambassador Award (Honours individuals or companies whose efforts reflect a commitment above and beyond the accepted expectation of the pork industry in Alberta. It recognizes individuals or companies whose actions have become a valuable asset to the pork industry and acknowledges those whose actions have become models for peer recognition).
For more information or to nominate either a individual – team, please contact the Alberta Pork Congress office at 403.244.7821 or Toll Free 1.800.267.9180 or email info@albertaporkcongress.com. Deadline for nominations is February 28th. •
2017 Livestock Care Conference
The 2017 Livestock Care Conference will take place in Leduc, Alberta March 21 & 22, 17 at the Best Western Plus Denham Inn and Suites .
With a theme of “Pushing the envelope,” the long-standing conference open to producers, industry and others with an interest in farm animal care, will delve into the latest progress, challenges and opportunities surrounding livestock care and welfare issues, with presentations by leading speakers highlighting an engaging and interactive format.
Some topics that will be focused on are painful procedures, practical strategies and new thinking in swine production, moving beyond the five freedoms.
For details on complete agenda, accommodations and on line registration check out the website. www.afac.ab.ca/livestock-care-conference •
London Swine Conference
Mark your calendars for the annual London Swine Conference. It will take place March 28 & 29 in London at the Double Tree by Hilton.
Where research meets production is the theme. For all the program and registration details check the website www.londonswineconference.ca Earlybird registration deadline is March 3rd. •
World Pork Expo
The annual trade show will take place in Des Moines, IA June 7 – 9, 2017. Check on line for details and updates www.worldpork.org •
Alberta Pork Congress
The dates for the 43rd annual Alberta Pork Congress are June 14 & 15, 2017.
As of press time the trade show is 75% sold out. Don’t delay book your booth today. Online registration now open at albertaporkcongress.com Contact the office for your lunch, BBQ and banquet tickets. For details or information contact Kate Cheney or Kimberly Nield at 403.244.7821 or email kate@conventionall.com or kimberly@conventionall.com •
Ontario Pork Congress
Stratford will play host for the annual Ontario Pork Congress June 21 & 22,2017 For details and information check out porkcongress.on.ca •
Pork Research Cluster Gets $1.8M in New Investment
The Government of Canada said they are providing an additional $1.8 million to the pork research cluster to continue responding to consumer concerns around the humane treatment of animals, Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced recently.
This additional sum brings the total Government of Canada investment to $14.8 million and will help to expand on research work already underway as part of the five-year (2013-18) research cluster. New research will address the issue of sow housing and improved living conditions for both sows and piglets.
“Enhancing the competitiveness and the sustainability of the Canadian pork industry is Swine Innovation Porc’s primary goal and focus,” said Stewart Cressman, chairman of Swine Innovation Porc.
“In addition to responding to concerns about animal welfare, the Swine Cluster 2 research program also addresses animal health and reducing feed costs. This additional investment in research will further the outcomes of this program and ensure that emerging issues facing the pork sector will continue to be addressed.” •
CPC Welcomes FPCC Panel Report on Establishment of Canadian Pork Promotion and Research Agency
The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) welcomes recent announcement by Farm Products Council of Canada (FPCC) with great satisfaction. The Panel determined that CPC’s application on behalf of producers from across Canada to establish the Canadian Pork Promotion and Research Agency has merit.
“I would like to thank the FPCC and the panel members for studying our application and looking forward to moving along onto the next steps to establish the agency,” stated CPC Chair Rick Bergmann.
Once established, the objectives of the National Agency will centre on promoting the consumption of pork products in the domestic market and increasing the amount of research into sustainable hog production. •
Agriculture is Tough on Trade
Canada’s agriculture industry faces tough sledding on trade, according to a new report from Douglas Hedley, once Canada’s chief agriculture negotiator, and Al Mussell, a senior agricultural economist.
Both now head Agri-Food Economic Systems Associate which has issued its report on events since U.S. President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and served notice that he wants to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico.
Hedley says “the sheer number of prospective trade complaints and defensive actions coming from the U.S. could swamp our capacity to effectively analyze and mount a successful defense; this may be a strategy of the new U.S. administration”.
Mussell says, “a retrenchment of the U,S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, potential renegotiation of NAFTA, a prospective U.S. border tax, and U.S. trade complaints raised against Canada will drive Canada to consider alternative markets.
“This puts more pressure on CETA (the free trade deal with Europe) and prospective new trade agreements with Japan, China, and perhaps others to provide markets for our agri-food products. “It will also require alignment between domestic agricultural policy and this new trade environment”.
Hedley says “at the same time, a WTO (World Trade Organization) ministerial meeting is scheduled for later this year, in which domestic support for agriculture is likely to be a key element. “Canada will be pressed to advance its agenda for reduced agricultural support globally and to deal with its own sensitivities.” Supply management accounts for the lion’s share of “agricultural support” so is at risk in these negotiations. “This will further draw upon our trade policy capacity,” says Hedley, •
— By Jim Romahn
Pork Exports Increasing
Canada continues to increase pork exports, recently adding Argentina after it dropped import restrictions it imposed in 2002.
That was done to retaliate against Canada’s imposition of restrictions on Argentine beef. Cesar Urias, the director of market access with Canada Pork International, told reporter Harry Siemans that a few years ago Canada’s exports were about half of production, but now it’s 60 to 65 per4 cent. “Probably Canada right now stands as the fourth largest producer and the third largest exporter of Canadian pork and pork products worldwide,” says Urias. He said exports are likely to continue taking a higher percentage of Canadian pork production. •
— By Jim Romahn
Canada Looking to Asia For Trade
Canada’s new trade minister, François-Philippe Champagne, wants trade talks with China, India and Japan. He was commenting after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. Australia says it believes the TPP can go ahead without the U.S., but Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s minister of Global Affairs, says it can’t work without the U.S. Champagne said he’s taking stock of Canada’s options, but it is clear many Asian countries are eager to deepen their trade
“We want to send a message that Canada is open to trade, obviously with China, with India, with Japan. I’ve had meetings with our counterparts so we’re going to be considering our options,” he said recently in Calgary, where the Liberal cabinet held a two-day retreat. Supply management for Canada’s dairy industry is not likely to be much of an issue with China, India and Japan, but it is a huge issue with the United States, New Zealand and Australia. Canada also has natural resources that are of interest to many Asian countries and that puts Canada into a strong bargaining position. More worrisome for supply-management farmers is Trump’s insistence that the North American Free Trade Agreement be opened for re-negotiation. •
— By Jim Romahn
Low-slope Ramps Better For Pigs
A federal agriculture department researcher says low-slope ramps are better for loading pigs on transport trucks. Trucking is high stress for pigs, and Dr Luigi Faucitano, a meat scientist with the Sherbrooke Research Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, said stress levels could be lessened by reducing the slope of the ramps.
“We compared the pot-belly trailer and the compact truck, which is a truck and a trailer with hydraulic features, on two decks with a top deck being operated hydraulically and we noted more death losses in the pot-belly trailer compared to the other one,” he said during the recent Banff Pork Seminar. “We observed . . . that more losses were in the top deck (than) in the bottom deck because of the ramp. “The pigs were more fatigued at loading so they couldn’t recover from the stress of loading from negotiating the ramp and they eventually died during travel. “The ramp inside the trailer within loading systems is something that should be avoided or corrected,” he said. “Replacing ramps with hydraulic devices, with hydraulic decks is a solution. “Otherwise, for truckers who do not want to replace the trailer with a new one, they just have to modify their pot-belly trailer with ramps, modifying the ramps in terms of slope, decreasing the slope, building less steep ramps.” •
— By Jim Romahn
Topigs Norsvin Hands Out Awards
Topigs Norsvin Canada took the time to recognize the achievements of their customers. Awards banquets were held in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Stratford, Ontario. Topigs Norsvin customer herds continue to achieve better results year on year.
The 2016 production award winners and runner-up winners are listed by category.
Herds of 500 or Less Sows Category:
Farrowing Rate Winner with 93.0%- VDK Farms, AB. Runner-up with 92.6%- Albion Ridge Colony, AB.
Born Alive Winner with 14.75 – A & A Van Ginkel, AB. Runner-up with 13.8 – Horizon Colony, MB.
Pigs Weaned / Mated Female / Year Winner with 30.90 – Cool Spring Colony, MB. Runner-up with 30.27 – A & A Van Ginkel, AB.
Herds of 501 – 1,200 Sows Category:
Farrowing Rate Winner with 93.0% – Huron Colony, MB. Runner-up with 92.4% – Kincardine Sow Unit-RFW Farms Ltd., ON.
Born Alive Winner with 13.99 – Willow Creek Colony (West), MB. Runner-up with 13.96 – Blumengart Colony, MB.
Pigs Weaned / Mated Female / Year Winner with 31.31 – Evergreen Colony, MB. Runner-up with 31.27 – Willow Creek Colony (West), MB.
Herds of 1,200 or More Sows Category:
Farrowing Rate Winner with 92.4% – Adare Pork, ON. Runner-up with 92.0% – Stonywood Farm, ON.
Born Alive Winner with 13.8 – Morris Piglets South, MB. Runner-up with 13.57 – Morris Piglets North, MB.
Pigs Weaned / Mated Female / Year Winner with 30.48 – Adare Pork, ON. Runner-up with 29.09 – Stonywood Farm, ON.
Congratulations to all the winners. •
Ralco and Genesus Partner on Swine Research
Ralco announced recently that it has joined forces with Genesus swine genetics company to advance swine nutrition and genetic characteristics for swine producers around the world. The two global companies will work together to improve return on gain and meat quality through nutrition at Ralco’s swine research facilities in southwest Minnesota.
The partnership was born of a shared desire to provide the global swine industry with research proven concepts and technologies that increase customer profitability through the most advanced swine nutrition technology that leads to a higher carcass value. Genesus will provide hogs for Ralco’s 1,200-head nursery and 2,400-head finishing state-of-the-art research barns to continue pushing the boundaries of swine nutrition and meat quality, said Ralco President Brian Knochenmus. •
Rise of Natural Growth Promoters (NGPs) Opens New Doors for Livestock Industries
There is growing consensus among all components of livestock industries, both in the U.S. and Canada, that shifting to greatly restricted use of antimicrobials is critical to the future. But the ‘elephant in the room’ is the question of how these industries will cope with replacing the productivity benefits that traditional use of antimicrobials has provided.
Now, as new rules such as the Veterinary Feed Directive in the U.S., and similar changes anticipated for Canada, are poised to take effect during 2017, a silver lining for productivity advantages is emerging. While the new rules will cement essentially a ban on antimicrobial use for purely production benefits, advances in alternative technologies have risen dramatically showing the potential to not only replace productivity benefits associated with antimicrobials but to leapfrog those with broader benefits and higher productivity returns.
Specifically, new science is transforming the ‘ABC’s of NGPs’ (natural growth promoters) expanding the toolbox of options and driving new opportunities for livestock industries. CBS Inc. manufactures several NGP options and is partnering with other NGP champions such as Nuscience Group to bring more options to the marketplace. Recent studies by the University of Manitoba indicate leading multi-carbohydrase options for pigs and poultry can enable the breakdown of 80-90 percent or more of hard-to-digest components compared to the typical 30-40 percent or less with single source supplements or more rudimentary forms of multiples. Nucleotides are conditionally essential nutrients that research shows help promote optimal growth, alleviate stress and improve immune status in poultry and pigs. •
Pig Embryo Used to Grow Human Stem Cells
Researchers in California and Spain have managed to grow human stem cells in a pig embryo. It raises hopes that human organs could be grown for transplant operations, but that’s a long way away, said lead researcher Carlos Izpusua Belmont of the Salk Institute in California. This is “just a very early step toward the goal,” he said. The operation involved inserting three to 10 stem cells into pig embryos, then implanting the embryos in sows. After three to four weeks, 186 embryos were removed and examined. The research team found fewer human stem cells than they anticipated – less than one in 100,000 – but “we were very happy to see we actually can see thee human cells after four weeks of development,” Belmont told Associated Press news agency. •
— By Jim Romahn
Feed Production Continues to Increase
Global feed production continued to increase last year by 3.7 per cent, setting a record at more than one billion tonnes, says Alltech about the results of its 2017 Alltech Global Feed Survey.
Production has increased by 19 per cent since 2012, even though the number of feed mills has declined by seven per cent.
Africa had the largest percentage increase for the fifth year in a row and Chines production is also increasing at a rapid clip. North American production last year was roughly equal with the year before.
Alltech says this sixth annual survey is the most comprehensive ever, now covering 141 countries and more than 30,000 feed mills.
The results show that the U.S. and China are the top two countries, producing one-third of all animal feed, and that predominant growth came from the beef, pig and aquaculture feed sectors as well as several African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries. “This year clearly demonstrates the growing efficiency and consolidation of the feed industry,” said Aidan Connolly, chief innovation officer and vice president of corporate accounts for Alltech. •
— By Jim Romahn
New Family Operated Animal Health and Supply Company Emerges
Rick and Luke Bergmann are pleased to announce the opening of a producer-focused animal health and supply company named Buckingham Ag. The father and son joint venture located in Steinbach, Manitoba will serve a vast region with the commitment of bringing value and a high level of service to livestock producers and manufacturers alike.
“Agriculture runs deep in our roots. The Bergmann family has played a significant role in agriculture over multiple generations” stated Buckingham Ag’s Operations Manager, Luke Bergmann. “I am proud to carry on the tradition and passion for agriculture through this business and I look forward to working with producers to fill their animal health and supply needs.”
“The Canadian livestock industry produces a safe, healthy and affordable food supply for consumers around the world and it is an honor for the Buckingham Ag team to be a link in the chain by supplying products and services of value to farms,” added Rick Bergmann, President at Buckingham Ag.
The Buckingham Ag team brings decades of experience serving the livestock industry and understands what is important to producers. The team is committed to deliver a service with biosecurity protocols, value and effective solutions for their customers. •
G20 Ag Leader Talk Water, Disease and Antibiotics
Agriculture leaders from the G-20 nations, which includes Canada, agreed in recent meeting in Germany that greater efforts should be taken to safeguard water, to prevent animal diseases and to curb the unnecessary use of antibiotics.
There has been no word from Ottawa about Canada’s participation. “We commit to approaches that improve sustainability of water use in food and agricultural production while ensuring food security and nutrition in accordance with our multilateral trade commitments,” the leaders said in a statement after meeting in Berlin.
Climate change, the growing world population and demands for industrialization have put a strain on global water supplies, with the impact felt on rich and poor nations.
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization warned in December that 12 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia need food aid as farmers struggle with the impact of repeated droughts, compelling Ethiopia to make major wheat imports.
Saudi Arabia has been ending its crop farming to save precious water and has been importing food instead. “We will protect water and water-related ecosystems by encouraging water-friendly, sustainable agricultural practices and technologies that enhance the water quality and resilience of water bodies,” the G20 statement on recently said.
“We are therefore committed to developing and implementing corresponding strategies at the national level,” it added. Global farming needs sustainable water supplies to feed the growing world population and provide the basis for world peace and stability, the meeting’s host, German agriculture minister Christian Schmidt, said. “Agriculture is a part of global security politics,” he said. The G20 ministers also committed themselves to reducing animal diseases but to prevent the unnecessary use of antibiotic drugs in farming.
While in Berlin, Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay met with the Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Dr. José Graziano da Silva, and announced a contribution of $1 million to support international bodies that develop the standards for food safety and plant and animal health
On the margins of this mission, Minister MacAulay also met with other key partners including Ministers of Agriculture from China, the European Union (EU), Germany, the United Kingdom and Austria, as well as the EU Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety Commissioner and the Deputy-Minister of Agriculture for Turkey. Germany took over the presidency of the G20 group of leading economies in late 2016, a platform Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to use to safeguard multilateral cooperation. •
— By Jim Romahn
Ontario Free of PED for Six Months
It’s six months since the latest outbreak of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus, the longest stretch since the disease first came to the province from the United States in January, 2014. There was a brief flare-up in May and June, including a farrow-to-finish operation in Elgin County on May 16, two finisher barns, one in Oxford County June 7, the other in Waterloo Region June 23, and then a nursery-to-finishing operation in Huron County on June 30. The industry has stepped up biosecurity to keep the disease from spreading, including better cleaning and disinfecting of trucks and disinfection measures for anyone entering hog barns. •
— By Jim Romahn
Truckload of Pork Stolen
Woodstock Police say $105,000 worth of pork tenderloin was stolen from the TA truck stop between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. The driver of the G6 Logistics truck parked the 53-foot refrigerated trailer loaded with 2,400 boxes of pork tenderloin at about 8 p.m. and when he came back at about half an hour after midnight, it was gone. •
— By Jim Romahn
Manitoba Pork Producers Welcome Updated Building Code
**Just released moments before press time.
On behalf of Manitoba pork producers, Manitoba Pork Chair George Matheson welcomes the Government of Manitoba’s recent commitment to repealing the Manitoba Farm Building Code, and amending the Manitoba Building Code by adding specific provisions for farm buildings. The current farm building code is based on a commercial industrial standard and is not appropriate for low-occupancy farm buildings such as barns.
The amended Manitoba Building Code will mean that producers are no longer forced to incorporate unnecessary requirements into the construction of barns. “We estimate the new provisions will save producers tens of thousands of dollars when building barns,” notes Matheson, a pork producer near Stonewall. “This action by the Manitoba government will help our industry stay competitive with other jurisdictions, while maintaining high safety standards to protect farm workers and livestock.”
Along with adoption of amendments to the marketing regulation for Manitoba Pork earlier this year, the revised building code is another positive example of the Manitoba government’s red tape reduction initiatives. Manitoba Pork looks forward to continuing collaboration with the government on additional improvements to legislative and regulatory systems for producers. World demand for pork products continues to expand, and Manitoba producers want to retain their share of the growing markets. More pork exports will bring more jobs to Manitoba and will help grow the provincial economy. •
