4 02, 2026

ASF in Wild Boar in Spain Expected to Result in Shifting Market Opportunities for Pork

African Swine Fever continues to reshape global pork markets, not through sudden windfalls, but through gradual shifts in supply, trade routes, and competitive positioning. Paul Marchand, Senior Risk Management Analyst with h@ms Marketing Services, says ASF’s spread in Europe—especially its entrenched presence in wild boar—forces producers and exporters to rethink expectations rather than chase

4 02, 2026

Pig Code Update Committees Identify Priority Welfare Issues for Canada’s Pig Sector

Committees updating Canada’s Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs have identified five priority welfare issues that will guide the next phase of work on the Pig Code. The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) confirmed those priorities in its December 2025 Information Update, outlining progress on the review and the

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4 02, 2026

Collaborating and Investing in Canadian Pork Research

Research discussion panel: From left Tricia Schmalenberg, Canada Packers, Christine Bone, University of Guelph, Nuria Prieto, Agriculture Canada Lacombe and Alison Lee, Swine Innovation Porc

SIP Research Panel

If the Canadian pork industry is going to stay competitive in the world market, research is key to economic growth and development, said a panel discussing the impact of

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4 02, 2026

Ten New PigLEARN Training Modules Set for January Launch

Mark Fynn

The Canadian Pork Council will add ten new training modules to its PigLEARN training platform at the start of 2026, expanding the national system built to support barn-level training across Canada’s pork sector.The PigLEARN platform launched in March 2025 as an online learning management system designed specifically for swine barn workers. It delivers

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4 02, 2026

Hogs, Headspace & Holding it Together

Gerry Friesen has been out of the hog business for more than 15 years, but listening to speakers at the Banff Pork Seminar, he said it is clear the stressors haven’t disappeared and warned farmers not to ignore any mental health worries.“Don’t ignore issues. They don’t go away,” said Friesen, who suffered for years

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4 02, 2026

Science and Innovation Lead the Way -BPS Awards

Dr. John Harding and Ben Willing

George Foxcroft winnerThe George Foxcroft Lectureship award to recognize outstanding excellence in swine production research was given to Dr. John Harding, during the Banff Pork Seminar.Harding’s research “is directly applicable to our industry and holds the potential to improve production efficiency,” said Ben Willing, a University of Alberta agriculture

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4 02, 2026

Global Pork Update

Brett Stuart

The strong worldwide demand for pork continues to push prices higher and Canadian pork producers should expect strong prices for the next two years, a market analyst told the Banff Pork Seminar.“Do the math, Canadians ate more pork last year than they did in the past. When you see production up three percent

4 02, 2026

And That’s A Wrap Banff Pork

Tell your story

If Canadian pork farmers are going to continue to compete against other meat products in Canada and around the world, they need to continue to earn the trust of consumers by telling their story, said Lisa Bishop-Spencer with the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity.

The organization is focused on understanding and strengthening the

4 02, 2026

From the publishers desk,

Happy 2026! Welcome to the first edition in 2026 and the 30th, yes 30th year, for Prairie Hog Country. I continue to be humbled with the continued support for PHC, through readership, encouragement and financial support through advertising which enables me to print and mail out the six editions every year.In a recent conversation

3 12, 2025

Pork Chops

Brandon Hog & Poultry ShowThe rebranded Brandon Hog & Poultry Show will take place Tuesday December 9th at the Keystone Centre in Brandon. The one day show opens at 8:30am, and concludes with the Pork Quality Competition winners announced and live auction. •

Banff Pork SeminarBanff Pork Seminar 2026 is taking place January 6th -8th