Sharing of Pig Handling Tips and Techniques
CANADA - A new 'Low Stress Pig Handling' blog is allowing those who make their living moving pigs to share practical information on low stress swine handling techniques, writes Bruce Cochrane.

Community College Swine Education Gets Grant
IOWA, US - The US Pork Center of Excellence has been granted nearly $300,000 from the US Department of Education to implement the Professional Swine Manager/Technician Certification Programme for community...

Biomin Builds on Mycotoxin Channel's Success
AUSTRIA - Offering the first-ever mycotoxin webinar series on YouTube, Biomin aims to build up this unique database with a wider range of speakers and topics in 2010.

EPP Congress 2010 in Eindhoven, Netherlands
NETHERLANDS - On Wednesday, 14 October 2009, the official starting signal for the EPP Congress 2010 in Eindhoven was given.

English Pig Industry Launches Real Welfare for Pigs
UK - The English pig industry will start to take ownership of the European pig welfare debate this year as it rolls out a radical programme based on real animal welfare — from the perspective of the pigs...

MSU Considers How to Deal with Budget Cuts
US - Mississippi State University (MSU) is forced to consider options that include merging two colleges and nine departments and eliminating 17 degree programmes in response to state funding cut...

Stress and Depression are Treatable
CANADA - A western Manitoba based registered clinical psychologist reports men, especially in rural communities are less likely to seek help in dealing with stress and depression but that trend is starting...

Workshops to Address 'Men and Depression'
CANADA - A project coordinator with the Manitoba Farm and Rural Stress Line says the difficulties facing agriculture have resulted in an increased call for help from men who are facing high stress or depression,...

PITWA Introduces Pork Industry Skills Passport
AUSTRALIA - Pork Industry Training WA (PITWA) last week introduced 20 WA pork producers and piggery workers to the Pork Industry Skills Passport, which details and endorses a person’s workplace skills...

New Framework for Animal Disease Traceability
US - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will develop a new framework for animal disease traceability.

$24M Grant from NIFA for Animal Health Research
US - USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) on Tuesday (2 February) announced $24 million in grants to study animal heath, reproduction, breeding, genetics and nutrition.

Pig Businesses Get Back to the Future
UK - BPEX is encouraging pig producers to take stock and look forward to new opportunities for their business at its second national Knowledge Transfer conference.

Pig Managers Train to Build Better Business
UK - The hard work has begun for the 11 pig managers on the BPEX Professional Managers Development scheme.

Swine Nutrition Guide to be Launched Next Month
US - The new National Swine Nutrition Guide is to be launched in early February with a series of regional training courses organised by US Pork Center of Excellence.

Animal Influenza Diagnosis and Surveillance Improved
AUSTRALIA - An international workshop being held this week at CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) in Geelong, Victoria, will lead to improved diagnosis and surveillance of animal influenza...

University of Oxford Offers Masters-Level Course in Welfare
UK - Oxford University's Animal Welfare Masters-level programme has been designed for the meat and livestock supply chain. It represents a collaboration between leading animal welfare experts from the...

U of M: Farm and Food Discovery Centre Construction
CANADA - Manitoba Pork Council is applauding the launch of construction of the Bruce D Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre at the University of Manitoba's National Centre for Livestock and the Environment,...

Low Stress Pig Handling Techniques Save Time
CANADA - A Saskatchewan-based low stress pig handling trainer says the techniques that save time when moving pigs also save a lot of frustration, writes Bruce Cochrane.

UK Butchers Offered Management Course
DENMARK - British butchers looking to succeed in management are being offered the opportunity to learn both the craft of de-boning as well as management skills at the internationally renowned Danish Meat...

NC State Vets Trained to Respond to Disasters
US - North Carolina State University is including training for its veterinary students in coping with emergencies involving farm livestock and pets.

Vote Early and Vote Often
US - After countless hours spent taping, editing and producing videos, students from seven universities have submitted videos to the Reach Teach Learn Student Video Contest.

Low-Stress Handling Compensates for Other Flaws
CANADA - A Saskatchewan-based low-stress pig handling trainer says techniques that use the pig's natural behaviour to ease movement can be effective in less-than-ideally designed as well modern production...

Safety for Pig Farmers
UK - Farms are dangerous places! But something is being done to reduce the risk of fatalities – a health and safety training course for East Midlands pig farmers will run on 1 December 2009.

Pig Managers on Course for Success
UK - The first 11 managers are ready and waiting to take their place on the BPEX Professional Managers Development Scheme 2010.

CME: USDA Announces Workshop Dates and Topics
US - USDA and the Department of Justice have announced the dates and subjects for a series of “workshops” on the status of competition in agriculture, report Steve Meyer and Len Steiner.