Alberta Livestock Expo
Keep October 14th and 15th open for the Alberta Livestock Expo in Lethbridge. ALE has expanded its floor plan and has sold out!
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. See you at the show. •
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. •
Alberta Pork Congress
As of press time, the date AGM for Alberta Pork Congress had not yet been selected. Watch your inbox for meeting details and first opportunity to book your booth for 2027. •
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 is open. 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 •
Manitoba Pork Fall Meetings
Mark your calendarer for the upcoming Manitoba Pork fall producer meetings. The two upcoming meetings will take place Tuesday November 10th in Niverville and Thursday November 12th in Portage La Prairie.
Producers and industry partners watch your inbox for details on registration and times. •
Alberta Pork AGM
Save the date for the Alberta Pork Annual General Meeting Thursday November 19th, at the Double Tree by Hilton in Calgary.
Producers and industry partners please keep an eye on your inbox for more details. •
Prairie Livestock Expo
The Prairie Livestock Expo will take place at the Victoria Inn & Conference Centre Wednesday December 16th. Registration is now open.
A block of rooms has been put on hold, use the code 355294 when booking, stating attending the Prairie Livestock Expo. •
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.
The block of rooms at the Banff Springs hotel is now open. Reservations can be made through the Banff Pork Seminar website.
Registration is now open, 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, SK.
Registration is now open for trade show booths. As of press time the trade show was 70% sold out.
A block of rooms is on hold at the Days Inn, contact the hotel directly at 306.773.4660 and tell them you are attending the Saskatchewan Livestock Expo (Cramer Show).
For more details contact Doug Cramer at 306.520.3553 or online at
cramereventmanagement.com •
SIP Expands Pork Research Hub with New Research in Action Video Series.
Following the recent launch of the Pork Research Hub, Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) is expanding the Research in Action section with the debut of a new video series highlighting the researchers and projects behind Canada’s pork research.
The Pork Research Hub is Canada’s bilingual online destination for pork research, bringing together practical resources, research findings and innovation stories in one searchable location. Its Research in Action section showcases how Canadian pork research is delivering real-world value through articles, videos, podcasts and other knowledge transfer resources.
The first video in the series features Dr. Aline Remus, Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, whose Swine Cluster 4 research explores precision feeding systems that can reduce feed costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve the sustainability of pig production.
Each month, a new Research in Action video will introduce viewers to a different Swine Cluster 4 project, providing an inside look at the people, partnerships and innovations shaping the future of Canadian pork production. Episodes will be released on the Swine Innovation Porc YouTube channel, with French-language versions also available, and featured in the Research in Action section of the Pork Research Hub.
“Research is only valuable if people can discover it, understand it and apply it,” said Daniel Ramage, General Manager of Swine Innovation Porc. “The Pork Research Hub was created to make Canadian pork research more accessible, and the Research in Action section brings that research to life. This video series is another way we’re showcasing the practical impact of Swine Cluster 4 and the researchers helping deliver solutions for producers.”
Swine Cluster 4 is a five-year national research initiative led by Swine Innovation Porc that supports collaborative research addressing the Canadian pork sector’s most pressing challenges. As the Research in Action section continues to grow, new videos, articles, podcasts and other resources will continue to connect producers and industry with the latest Canadian pork research. •
NEW Alberta’s Invasive Species Outlook!
Not all invasive species require the same response – and when we act can make all the difference. So where should Alberta focus its invasive species efforts? AISC’s new Alberta’s Invasive Species Outlook helps put the province’s priorities into perspective!
Developed through a priority-setting exercise at the 2026 AISC Conference, the Outlook highlights priority invasive species at different stages of the invasion curve – from species we’re working to prevent from arriving, to those requiring eradication, containment or ongoing management.
This resource features species such as invasive mussels, rats, emerald ash borer, wild boar, Prussian carp, downy brome, kochia and Canada thistle, outlining why they matter, how they spread, their impacts and what Albertans can do to help.
With invasive species estimated to cost Alberta’s economy more than $2 billion annually—and involved in 60% of documented species extinctions worldwide—investing in the right action at the right time is critical. The earlier we act, the greater the opportunity to prevent long-term environmental, economic and social impacts.
Take a look at Alberta’s Invasive Species Outlook and see which species made the list! •
Food Inflation Declines
For the first time in more than two years, food prices rose by less than the overall inflation rate.
In September Statistics Canada found food prices were up by 2.8 per cent from a year ago while overall inflation was up by three per cent. •
— By Jim Romahn
The Value of Canadian Pork Extends far Beyond the Farm Gate
Canada’s pork sector generates more than $24 billion in economic activity each year and supports approximately 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, connecting farms with processing, transportation, suppliers and communities across the country.
In 2025 alone, hog farm cash receipts reached $7.2 billion, while Canadian pork exports were valued at $5.82 billion.
These numbers reflect a highly productive and globally competitive sector, but maintaining that contribution requires the right conditions to succeed.
For CPC, that means advancing federal priorities that strengthen market access, processing capacity, research and innovation, animal health preparedness and effective risk-management tools for producers.
A competitive pork sector means strong farms, economic activity across the value chain and continued opportunities for Canadian agriculture at home and around the world. •
Trump Calls for COOL Study for Beef
United States President has authorized yet another study of country-of-origin labelling for beef. Disputes-settling decisions have twice ruled that COOL breaks the Canada-United States-Mexico trade agreement.
Trump’s attempt to revive COOL is contained in an executive order that mandated a probe into the beef-packing industry designed to detect any violations of anti-competition regulations. Trump has also been lashing out at the nation’s four largest beef packers, two of them (JBS and Cargill) dominant in the Canadian beef-packing industry.
The Meat Institute responded opposing COOL for beef saying it would add costs without benefits.
The Meat Institute cited its own economic analysis estimating that reinstating mandatory COOL for beef would result in $721 million in first-year implementation costs and add an estimated $835 million annually to consumer beef purchases.
The group instead urged the administration to give voluntary “Product of USA” labeling requirements time to work. Under new rules that took effect Jan. 1, products carrying voluntary “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” claims must come from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States.
“With beef supplies at a 75-year low and demand strong, now is not the time to add unnecessary costs and complexity to the beef supply chain or risk putting further upward pressure on prices,” the Meat Institute said.
Canadians invested millions in legal and consulting fees to defeat two previous U.S. mandatory COOL regulations. •
— By Jim Romahn
Feds Renew Innovation Funding
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced that it will award $50-million to the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN),
It enables CAAIN to launch new programming, beginning this fall.
CAAIN will continue to focus on its primary mandate of funding the development and adoption of innovation that increases the productivity, profitability, and/or sustainability of our nation’s agricultural producers, it said.
Over the past six years, we have committed more than $42M of ISED dollars to 56 projects whose total value exceeds $133M. said board chair Laura Kilcrease.
Thirty projects have completed their CAAIN funding cycle, a number have successfully gone to market, validating ISED’s and our faith in their long-term value and effectively providing taxpayers a strong return on investment, a news release said.
“To say we appreciate ISED’s belief in us and what we do would be an understatement. As someone who once farmed, I can’t begin to express the importance of the investments the ISED program allows,” she said. •
— By Jim Romahn
Zinc Oxide Update
Alberta Pork is providing the following up date on the current situation regarding the use of zinc oxide in swine diets.
Since 2018, the Canadian Pork Council (CPC) has spent a considerable amount time advocating for continued access to zinc oxide in swine nursery diets, including engagement with CFIA and Health Canada, and the development and submission of a white paper (outlining the validity of using zinc oxide in the nursery ration and the uniqueness of the Canadian environment) while conducting ongoing discussions with regulators since this issue first emerged. The CPC’s approach has been to make sure that any communication they release accurately reflects the current status of this file.
CPC has recently received an update from CFIA, and CFIA has indicated that an updated Notice to Industry is being prepared. Given that development, CPC believes it is best to ensure any detailed producer communications which they present aligns with the latest information coming from the regulators.
We completely agree that producers should understand the work that has gone into this issue and CPC’s primary objective has been to maintain access to zinc oxide in nursery diets.
At this stage, the next formal steps rest with CFIA as they base their decision on the relevant information presented to them from various interested parties. While this happens, CPC will continue to engage with CFIA regarding any proposed extensions, anticipated timelines, and next steps where appropriate.
In parallel, CPC will begin preparing a producer-facing summary of the advocacy and engagement undertaken since 2018. This will allow CPC to finalize and distribute the update promptly once CFIA releases its notice or confirms what information can be shared publicly. A draft will also be circulated to the provincial pork organizations (PPOs) for review.
We understand the importance of providing proactive updates as well as the need to participate in the current process. Like producers, we are hopeful for a solution that supports swine health and sound science.
When more information becomes available, Alberta Pork will ensure it is shared with our producers. •
Farm Workforce Declines
There has been a decline of 52,000 on-farm workers since 2020, reported Statistics Canada.
The total now is 225,000.
Jennifer Wright, executive director of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council said the decline comes from an aging workforce, retirements, lack of young people taking agriculture jobs and competition from employers in other businesses.
She said the decline doesn’t mean there are fewer jobs, but that farmers are having more difficulty recruiting workers.
She said the numbers may also be missing temporary foreign workers, but Statistics Canada’s spokesman defended its survey numbers as consistently reliable and accurate.
The decline is not new. In 1993 the total was 400,000, but the decline has accelerated over the last few years. •
— By Jim Romahn
Canadian Cattle Herd Expansion Gains
Momentum While Pork Export Headwinds
Intensify
Farm Credit Canada says Canada’s livestock sectors are moving in different directions as 2026 unfolds.
Canada’s cattle herd is expanding for the first time in years, but tight North American supplies continue to support historically strong prices. The hog sector remains productive, but weaker export demand and growing global competition have weighed on market prospects.
Using the latest inventory, market and trade data, this outlook examines why cattle prices remain historically strong despite herd rebuilding and why the outlook for Canadian hog producers has become more challenging.•
Olymel Opens Meat Processing Plant
Olymel has officially opened a new meat processing plant at Trois-Rivieres, Que., that can slice and package both pork and chicken.
At $142 million, it is the largest investment the company has made. The plant can process up to 50 million kilograms a year, which is four times more than the company’s previous capacity.
Innovations include battery storage so electricity can be purchased at lower off-peak-demand times and released when prices are high.
There will be air chilling instead of water, heat recovery and closed-loop water management.
Olymel is owned by farmers and is the dominant meat packer in Quebec. •
— By Jim Romahn
Ag Committee Stymied
The all-parties House of Commons Agriculture committee has had another of its recommendations rejected by Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald.
This time it is a call for mandatory reporting of the prices meat packers pay for hogs and cattle, just as it is in the United States.
As reported earlier, he rejected the committee’s call for a pause on closing seven research facilities and a careful review of the likely consequences.
The agriculture department replied that here is no legislative authority to collect price information in Canada. Statistics Canada has authority to collect, compile and publish statistical information, but that is subject to constraints of proportionality, purpose and protecting confidentiality.
The industry structure in Canada is also a factor, it said, because there is a high level of concentration and a limited number of processors. This makes sharing detailed price information more complex. There department did not say that the two dominant meat packers report prices they pay for cattle slaughtered at their U.S. plants.
MacDonald agreed with the committee recommendation calling for a transparent way to identify previously frozen meat in the supply chain, better interprovincial meat trade and stronger support for provincial and local slaughter plants.
The response said the government continues work to amend the Specified Risk Material regulations and harmonize them with the U.S. The comment period on proposed amendments ended Sept. 9.
As well, it supported in principle a recommendation to develop a regionalized approach to reportable diseases to keep exports moving. •
— By Jim Romahn
