I am penning this on US Thanksgiving, so to all those we deal with south of 49th parallel here is hoping you a wonderful holiday and enjoyed the day with family and friends.

Here we are at the last edition of 2018, still not so sure where the past 11 months have gone.

Yesterday, from when typing this, I was able to tour the new barn at Whitesand Colony, and an impressive set up it is. There were hundreds onsite to see one of the latest new setups for a loose housing on a relatively new colony.

Manitoba as well is engaging in expansion, according to Andrew Dickson MPC general manager there are 8,350 new sow places with 35,800 finisher places already under construction, up to 63,300 approved by municipal council, and 81,500 in planning process. Those are staggering numbers.

Inside this edition you will also find coverage of Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop, which at its new location was well attended, Manitoba Pork Council Fall Producer Meeting & Alberta Pork’s’ AGM plus Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium. A common theme at these meetings is the ongoing threat of African Swine Fever and how we can best try and prevent it from crossing into our borders. Biosecurity is one word we hear over and over again, however if customs and border protection agencies are not being vigilant contaminated products will make it through. Scary indeed, not for human threat but the almost immediate closure of our trading partner borders and devastating losses to our crucial export market.

Conversation continues on the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Ratification. Once the CPTPP is fully implemented, it is expected to increase Canadian agri-food exports by up to $2 billion annually. This increase and the jobs that it brings to Canada will help meet the Government of Canada’s goal of reaching $75 billion in agri-food exports by 2025.

Congratulations to the recipients of the Lethbridge Maple Leaf, which is currently celebrating 20 years in Pork, yearly awards, presented in early November. See the Kudos page for full list.

The second annual Alberta Livestock Expo held back in October was a huge success. A very solid turn out at the expanded two day show. Eighty seven companies were onsite in one hundred and twenty booth spaces plus a BBQ Beef rib competition. One of the highlights was the Xavier Temple Award of Excellence presented to the top carcasses in the carcass competition, it was an extremely tight race as the top two placements were tied. Charity was one of the biggest winners with donations in live auction reaching over 39K.

Thanks also to Andrew from Magnum Swine Genetic for a tour of his lab, it was very interesting indeed.

With January right around the corner, so is Banff Pork Seminar, with many interesting and intriguing speakers lined up will be an informative few days at the Castle in the Rockies. Discounts on group registrations available until December 20, see details on page 22 & 43.

As always, I am only a phone call or email away. Prairie Hog Country, Box 5536, Leduc, Alberta T9E 2A1, 780.986.0962, fax 780.980.9640 or email: hogcountry@shaw.ca

Talk to you in 2019.