Hutterite Manufacturing & Associate Expo
The Hutterite Manufacturing & Associate Expo is a unique shopping experience where you can find a variety of household, farming, and building supplies made with unbeatable quality.
From farming supplies including kitchen and bath cabinets, metal fabrication, metal roofing and siding, and so much more! This is a must-visit event for DIY enthusiasts, contractors, and homeowners alike.
Will take place at the Red River Exhibition Park in Winnipeg August 13th & 14th, 2026. For details contact Alana Fehr at 204.888.6990 ext 109 or C: 204.383.0040 or
email: alana@redriverex.com •

Whoop – Up Days
Whoop-Up Days: Lethbridge & District Agricultural Society’s Ag Showcase
Come to learn more about Southern Alberta’s largest industry in the Ag Showcase, part of the Family Fun Zone in the Trade Halls of the Lethbridge Trade & Convention Centre at 101 Exhibition Way S in Lethbridge.
This August 18-22nd from 12pm to 6pm daily the Lethbridge & District Agricultural Society is celebrating the diversity of agriculture while providing a fun way to learn more about where your food and other common products come from. Do you have a question, an idea, or want to get involved in our next event? Please contact Cassidy Read: 403-328-4491 ext.120 or at info@lethbridgeagsociety.ca •

Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop
Save the date for Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop which will be held Wednesday October 7th at Westerner Park. Registration will open in August.
Some of the topics on the agenda are: Wild Boar Control Program, Workplace Safety, Is Biosecurity Worth it, plus more.
Registrations for exhibitors and attendees opens this month at albertapork.com
Registration remains at $99 each or 5 for $440 early bird pricing until September 25th. After increases to $110/each
For more details contact Rawya Selby at Alberta Pork 780.474.8288 or email Rawya.Selby@albertapork.com •

Alberta Livestock Expo
Keep October 14th and 15th open for the Alberta Livestock Expo in Lethbridge. ALE is sold out , to be added to the potential floor plan expansion list contact Sarah.
Trade show hours are Wednesday noon – 5 and Thursday 10-4.
The 2026 Charity Partner is Bringing Hearts Home Campaign. Southern Alberta is currently serviced by two regional hospitals (Lethbridge and Medicine Hat) and 14 acute care/community healthcare centres in other rural areas. But none of these facilities are equipped to provide the cutting-edge cardiac treatment desperately needed in our region. The Bringing Hearts Home Campaign, will change this. Monies raised from the Pork Quality Competition will be donated to this worthwhile cause.
For details, sponsorship opportunities and more information please check the website at www.albertalivestockexpo.com or email sarah@evergreen-events.ca or call Sarah at 403.393.2120 •

H@ms Fall Marketing Meetings
H@ms will be hosting their fall marketing meetings in three various locations in October.
Tuesday October 20th, at the Coast Hotel in Swift Current, starting at noon with hot lunch served.
Tuesday October 27th, at Travel Lodge, Strathmore, starting at noon with hot lunch served .
Thursday October 29th, at the Oakville Community Centre in Oakville, starting at 3pm with a BBQ to follow.
For more details or to preregister (RSVP by October 9th) for the meetings please contact Paisley Alford. 204.235.2221 or E: paisley@hams.ca •

Aherne Awards
Do you know of an innovator who should be recognized? Someone who has developed an original solution to answer a pork production challenge? Or found a creative use of a known technology?
The Banff Pork Seminar is proud to offer a chance for you to “strut your stuff” as a technology innovator and show the rest of us how to put it into practice!
The Dr. FX Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production recognizes innovators involved in the pork industry who are making a difference by applying new technologies or management techniques.
Innovators can win valuable prizes and free registration to the 2027 Banff Pork Seminar, January 5-7; you’ll be recognized by your peers and the pork industry and have a chance to present your solution at the 2027 Banff Pork Seminar. Please nominate yourself, or apply on behalf of an innovator that deserves to be recognized. Help us to find these innovators and encourage them to apply for the Dr. FX Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production.
Specifically, we are looking for innovators who are capable of taking a new research concept, a technology, or even a management concept and apply it successfully in the production of pork. Innovations may be related to, but are not limited to, one of the following areas: Productivity, Profitability, Working Conditions, Animal Well Being, Reduced Environmental Impact, Pork Quality and Safety.
Anyone who has developed a solution to a pork production challenge may enter. Innovations must be relevant to North American pork production but do not necessarily have to be currently in use in Canada at the time of application.

Application and more information will be available online at www.banffpork.ca. Applications must be received by October 30, 2026. Apply today! Please contact Conference Coordinator Ashely Steeple at pork@ualberta.ca with questions. •

Saskatchewan Pork Symposium
If marking your calendars for all the events in 2026, another one to pencil in is Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium. The two day event is planned for November 3rd & 4th. Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium is recognized as one of Canada’s leading pork industry conferences, attracting approximately 300 producers, industry stakeholders, and government representatives.
Celebrating its 49th year, expert local, national and international speakers impart the latest information on hog production, animal health & welfare, new technology and the global outlook for the North American hog industry. It’s an event not to be missed!
The host hotel for Symposium 2026 is Saskatoon Inn & Conference Centre, a block of rooms available at 2002 Airport Drive. To reserve your room, call 306.242.1440 or book online and mention you are with “PORK SYMPOSIUM.”
Registration opens August 10th, with earlybird rates until September 11th. Latest information can be found on the SASK Pork website.
Interested in sponsorship opportunities or a exhibitor booth contact Steve Seto at steve@saskpork.com •

Alberta Pork AGM
Save the date for the Alberta Pork Congress Annual General Meeting Thursday November 19th, at the Double Tree by Hilton in Calgary. More details will be available once date is closer. •

Prairie Livestock Expo
The Prairie Livestock Expo will take place at the Victoria Inn & Conference Centre Wednesday December 16th. Registration will open soon. •

Banff Pork Seminar
For those that plan ahead, save the date for Banff Pork Seminar 2027, taking place January 5th -7th at the Castle in the Rockies the Banff Springs Hotel. Most current details are available on the website banffpork.ca
BPS welcomes a mixture of Accademia, Producers and Industry.
Registration opens in September.
The block of rooms at the Banff Springs hotel is now open. Reservations can be made through the Banff Pork Seminar website.
Registration will open in September, for more information contact Ashely Steeple Conference Coordinator at 780.492.3651 or email pork@ualberta.ca •

Manitoba Swine Seminar
The annual Manitoba Swine Seminar will take place at the Victoria Inn & Conference Centre February 3rd & 4th.
More details will be available in the near future. Contact Patti Clement at 204.981.8042 or email info@manitobaswineseminar.com. Most upto date information can be located on the website manitobaswineseminar.com •

Saskatchewan Livestock Expo
Save the date Thursday February 18th for the 17th annual Saskatchewan Livestock Expo at the Kenetic Exhibition Park in Swift Current.
Registration is now open for trade show booths. For more details contact Doug Cramer at 306.520.3553 or online at
cramereventmanagement.com •

National Food Security Strategy
Canadian Pork Council Welcomes Canada’s First-Ever National Food Security Strategy.
The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) stands ready to implement, with industry partners, producers and others, the Government of Canada’s National Food Security Strategy.
Canada’s pork sector is a key player in supporting Canada’s food security. Producers across the country provide Canadians with access to high-quality, nutritious protein while supporting rural communities, food processing, transportation, feed production, animal health services, and jobs across the agri-food supply chain.
“We welcome the news from Prime Minister Carney, Minister MacDonald, and we are eager to get working to strengthen Canada’s food system,” said René Roy, chair of the Canadian Pork Council. “Canada’s pork producers are already helping feed Canadians every day.”
The Strategy’s focus on producing more food in Canada, expanding domestic processing capacity, improving food infrastructure, reducing regulatory barriers, and increasing access to affordable food is directly connected to the needs of the pork sector. For Canadian pork producers, food security depends on having the capacity to raise animals, process pork efficiently, move products to market, and ensure Canadian families have reliable access to nutritious, Canadian-produced protein.
“Food security requires strong farms, strong processing capacity, efficient supply chains, and regulations that allow producers to remain competitive. CPC is ready to work with government to be part of the solution,” said Roy.
CPC is particularly encouraged by the Strategy’s focus on processing more food closer to where it is produced. For the pork sector, processing capacity is central to food security, farm viability, animal health planning, and Canada’s ability to supply consumers with affordable, nutritious protein. •

CPC Emphasizes Importance of CUSMA
Canada, the United States, and Mexico are part of a deeply integrated North American pork sector.
Canadian Pork Council appeared before the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

Both Chair René Roy and President and CEO Stephen Heckbert emphasized the importance of CUSMA in maintaining the stability, competitiveness, and food security of this shared system.
Canada raises approximately 25.5 million pigs every year and produces about 2.29 million tonnes of pork. With 70 per cent of Canadian pork production exported, the United States and Mexico remain essential trade partners in a North American market that depends on predictable rules, efficient borders, and strong regional cooperation.
Across all three countries, producers, processors, workers, transporters, retailers, and consumers rely on a stable trade framework to keep supply chains moving and food accessible.
CUSMA helps support resilient supply chains, protect rural jobs, strengthen food security, and ensure families across Canada, the United States, and Mexico continue to have access to safe, high-quality, and affordable pork.
A strong CUSMA is essential to a strong North American food system. •

Closing Lacombe Research Station Critized
Dr. Stuart Smyth, professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Saskatchewan, is among critics who decry the federal government’s plans to close the agriculture research station at Lacombe, Alberta.
The station is heavily involved in swine research and is the only federal government research station besides the one at Sherbrooke, Quebec, doing pork industry research.
Smyth said any natural disaster at the Sherbrooke station, such as a fire or serious disease outbreak, would leave the industry it trouble.
Canada’s pork industry is one of the best and most competitive in the world, exporting about 70 per cent of what’s produced.
Critics say the planned closure could weaken the country’s long-term competitiveness and increase risk within national swine research efforts.
Smyth, said Canada has benefited for decades from a diversified research network that has helped improve herd health, pork quality, aal welfare and production efficiency.
The researchers at Lacombe have advanced swine nutrition, feed efficiency, pork quality and herd management.
Their joint efforts with others has helped support innovation across the Canadian pork value chain, the critics said. •
— By Jim Romahn

Pork Research Hub
Canada’s pork sector has a new national destination for research, innovation and practical knowledge. Developed through a partnership between Swine Innovation Porc (SIP), Prairie Swine Centre (PSC), the Centre de développement du porc du Québec (CDPQ), and the Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement (CCSI), with support from the Pork Promotion and Research Agency (PPRA), the Pork Research Hub provides centralized access to research articles, technical resources, webinars, podcasts, videos and innovation stories from across Canada’s swine research community.
The platform features a searchable Resource Library and a dedicated Research in Action section that highlights how Canadian pork research is delivering practical value across the sector located at porkresearchhub.ca •

Canadian Pork Exports: January–April 2026 Snapshot
Canadian pork continues to demonstrate strong global demand, with 460.9 million kg exported during the first four months of 2026, reinforcing Canada’s position as a trusted supplier of high-quality pork around the world.
Canada’s Top Export Markets
(Jan–Apr 2026):

• United States (132.5M kg)
• Japan (113.3M kg)
• Mexico (73.6M kg)
• China (45.0M kg)
• South Korea (24.3M kg)
  Rounding out Canada’s Top 10
  export markets:
• Philippines (24.1M kg)
• Taiwan (16.3M kg)
• Colombia (8.7M kg)
• Australia (3.6M kg)
• Vietnam (2.8M kg)
  Together, the United States, Japan, and Mexico accounted for nearly 70% of Canadian pork exports during this period, highlighting the continued importance of these strategic markets while reinforcing Canada’s diversified global presence.
  As global demand continues to evolve, these results reflect the strength of Canadian pork in international markets and the value of building lasting partnerships with customers around the world. •

Advocating for Agricultural Innovation
Alberta Pork Executive Director Darcy Fitzgerald recently met with Bow River Member of Parliament David Bexte to discuss his Private Member’s Bill C-273, which is currently working its way through Parliament.

The bill aims to modernize Canada’s approval process for agricultural products. It would create a 90-day provisional approval pathway for eligible feeds, fertilizers, seeds and crop protection products that have already been approved by trusted international regulators. It would also allow Health Canada to use scientific assessments from trusted foreign regulators when reviewing veterinary drugs.
For pork producers, this could mean faster access to new feed ingredients and veterinary products while maintaining Canada’s strong health and safety standards. Reducing unnecessary duplication and regulatory delays would help Canadian producers benefit sooner from tools already being used safety in other countries. •

Another Housing Option for Sows
Australians are using Maternity Ring technology for housing gestating sows as an alternative to gestation crates which have been attacked by animal welfare organizations and has resulted in some downstream industry bans.
Many North Americans have switched to loose housing, but Dr. George Charbonneau said typically the perception is that the increased behavioural freedom of sows results in an unacceptable level of piglet mortality.
Many of the loose housing farrowing designs have a floor footprint (space) that is often 50 per cent greater than a standard farrowing crate per pen footprint., he wrote on the swineweb website.
This larger footprint continues to be one of the impediments to the adoption of confinement-free farrowing.
The Maternity Ring (MR), is a farrowing system with a similar footprint to a conventional farrowing crate and pen. The Maternity Ring is in use in Australia but its performance, particularly with regard to piglet survival, has not yet been studied in a controlled experiment.
A team of Australian researchers wanted to determine whether piglet mortality differed between farrowing crates and Maternity Rings.
First-parity sows were recruited over 12 months and randomly allocated to one of the two treatments: farrowing crate (FC) and Maternity Ring.
The researchers found:

• There was no difference in total pigs born, pigs born alive, or the number of pigs weaned between the two treatments.
• There was a tendency for a 0.3-pig-per-litter increase in pre-foster mortality in MR sows, but pigs born dead, post-foster deaths, liveborn mortality, and total deaths were similar to FC sows.
• Piglet removal for ill thrift was zero.
• The incidence of medications in sows was six per cent in MR and 15 per cent in FC.
• MR housing achieved comparable liveborn piglet mortality to FC first-parity sows. Future studies should test whether this performance is repeatable as sows are managed across multiple parities.
  Charlebois said the reduced medication needs for MR housing offset a slightly higher mortality rate.
  He noted that the MR was installed in the same amount of floor space as the conventional farrowing crate and should provide a commercially viable, close-confinement-free option to replace the traditional farrowing crate.
  This study examined only first parity sows and would need to be repeated in older parities, he said. •
  — By Jim Romahn

The 2025 Canadian Invasive Wild Pig Report is Now Available
The 2025 Canadian Invasive Wild Pig Report summarizes areas of established wild pig populations in participating provinces using data collected between 2023 and 2025, verified reports of free-roaming pigs in 2025, and field activities conducted by provincial wild pig control programs and their collaborators. The report encompasses all free-roaming Sus scrofa, including escaped domestic pigs, Eurasian wild boar, their hybrids, and pigs born in the wild.
New this year, Quebec has joined the national reporting initiative, expanding the report to include data from six provincial wild pig control programs.
The data for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 Canadian Invasive Wild Pig Reports were collected, collated, and mapped using consistent criteria across participating provinces. A comparison of the data indicates no significant changes in the distribution of established wild pig populations. For more information on provincial control programs, please refer to the reports referenced by each program area.
Wild pig control programs in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and for the first time, Quebec contributed data to the report. Other provinces and territories continue to expand surveillance and management activities and may contribute information in future reports.
Members of the public are encouraged to report sightings of free-roaming pigs to their provincial wild pig control program. To report a wild pig, contact your local provincial program.
Financial support for the report was provided through the African Swine Fever Industry Preparedness Program and the AgriAssurance Program under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
Report can be found on the Animal Health Canada website. •