The Summer 2021 edition of the Canadian Hog Journal is here!
To what extent has the federal carbon tax impacted Canada’s hog farmers? In this edition, we take a look at the numbers, along with the political context and possible solutions to overcoming this unavoidable problem.
What goes into determining hog futures? The ability to anticipate ups and downs in the market is a specialized skill – a bit like fortune-telling, but instead of using a crystal ball, analysts reverse-engineer quantifiable predictions using historical data and trends. Get the details in this edition.
Can pigs really fly? Ask most major pork processors and pig genetics companies, and they would certainly have you believing so! Thanks to opportunities for selling fresh pork and live pigs abroad, this unique and somewhat unexpected transport channel continues to gain traction in the industry.
Ontario Pork is celebrating its jaw-dropping 75th anniversary, and the organization is pulling out all the stops to make the celebration memorable, while looking ahead to the future. Board of directors changes in Ontario and Manitoba are also helping to lead the transition, and you can read about that work as well. With the lingering fog of COVID-19 finally starting to lift, find out how the pandemic has re-shaped agri-food industry events altogether.
In research, learn about new strategies being explored for feeding weaners more efficiently, along with the potential for feeding hybrid rye. All in the spirit of saving money and increasing productivity for producers.
Summer is in full swing, hog prices are high, and it seems that in-person gatherings are slowly coming back. Frankly, I am very eager to start seeing producers and industry partners again, as I have sorely missed the handshakes, conversations and laughs that are impossible through videoconferencing and phone calls.
On those treasured warm-weather days, my wife, daughters and I have been taking advantage of local parks for picnics and spending our weekends outdoors with friends and family. The cover image for this edition comes from my recent camping trip at Touchwood Lake in northern Alberta, and the editorial image comes from one of many visits to playgrounds in the greater Edmonton area, where we live.
Send me story suggestions and comments by emailing andrew.heck@albertapork.com. I would love to publish your perspectives, and I can work with you if writing is not your forte. (Some of us thrive in barns; others, in offices. That’s just the way it is!) Got any hot topics? If it’s interesting to you, it’s probably interesting to someone else, too. Pull up a chair at the fire pit so we can enjoy a beverage and hash it out. My ears are open and ready to listen!
