Crop Profitability Update and an Early Look at Profitability into 2026, by Darren Bond, as shared on CropTalk by Manitoba Agriculture on September 10, set the tone for a sharp financial reality check. Harvest in Manitoba rolls forward between rains, frosts, and short dry windows, leaving farmers juggling immediate work and future planning. To
Dr. Lisa Becton
African Swine Fever strikes a major farm in Estonia, while Egypt identifies a fourth Foot and Mouth Disease strain. These outbreaks underscore the importance of robust monitoring and stringent bio-security measures across the global pork industry.The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) outlines the situation in its September disease monitoring reports. Associate Director
Relationships Over Rhetoricin Agriculture
I agree with Cam Dahl, General Manager of the Manitoba Pork Council, in a recent Op-ed that relationships matter. Too often, we see leaders and stakeholders resort to grandstanding—offering muffled threats, striking clever poses for the cameras, and chasing quick brownie points. The question we need to ask is simple: With
China escalated its trade fight with Europe, announcing provisional anti-dumping duties of up to 62.4 per cent on pork and by-products from the European Union, effective September 10. Beijing says EU suppliers dump product and cause ‘substantial damage’ to China’s pork industry. Authorities require cash deposits from exporters while the investigation proceeds, lifting costs
Rick Préjet with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.Photo courtesy of Cam Dahl.
Cam Dahl, general manager of Manitoba Pork, says the Iowa market is too important to take for granted. He says Manitoba ships two million isoweans to Iowa every year, making this a critical relationship for producers on both sides of the border. That is
Crop profitability connects with more than just yields and costs. Hog producers follow markets daily, weighing history, currency shifts, exports, and seasonal patterns before locking in contracts. The latest insights from Paul Marchand at H@ms Marketing on September 17, 18, and 19 point to record cash values, cautious outlooks, and a steady reminder that
Red Deer welcomed back Francis the Pig, who has been absent from the central Alberta city for two years.The statue commemorating a pig who was a fugitive for several months in 1990 after escaping a local slaughterhouse was unveiled at the Central Spray and Play Park back on August 29th.Francis escaped from Central Alberta
Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald
Agriculture ministers from across Canada gathered in Winnipeg on September 9, 2025, for their annual meeting of the federal-provincial-territorial ministers. The message they wanted farmers to hear was simple: We are united, we hear you, and we will continue to support you in tough times. That sounds reassuring, but farmers
Canada’s pork industry is undertaking a trade mission recently in Japan, with stops in Osaka and Tokyo, to celebrate the ongoing relationship between the two countries in helping to ensure food security and harmonious relations.For the first time in more than 40 years, Canadian pork is now the top imported pork in Japan. This
Janelle Hamblin
Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea, known as PED, remains one of the greatest threats to hog production in North America. Since first entering the United States in 2013 and then Manitoba in 2014, this viral gastrointestinal disease has put pressure on every level of the pork sector. For Manitoba producers, veterinarians, and farm staff, the
