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Agriculture This Week: Will cows become the scapegoat for climate change?

When you have been involved with fairs and exhibitions as long as I have -- roughly 20 years showing stock and now roughly 35 as a journalist -- you have seen a lot of beef on the hoof.

I was reminded of that this past week as I attended the Yorkton Regional 4-H Show that was part of the local summer fair.

There is always something nostalgic for me in attending livestock shows. I was not a 4-H member as a youth but I was in the show ring at age five, so I have an appreciation for the work associated with exhibiting stock, and with the exhilaration of a red ribbon, and the disappointment when your animal does not catch the judge’s eye.

But, this year the show generated a different feeling, one where I found myself wondering what the fate of such shows may be, and in fact what will the fate of cattle production be.

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How AI Is Changing Family Hog Farms | Duane Stateler on Technology & the Future of Pork Production

Video: How AI Is Changing Family Hog Farms | Duane Stateler on Technology & the Future of Pork Production

Artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape pork production, and longtime pork producer Duane Stateler believes the industry is only getting started.

Recorded at World Pork Expo 2026, Stateler shares how technology has already transformed modern hog farming—from automated barn climate control and feed monitoring to real-time alerts—and explains why AI will play an even bigger role in improving animal care, efficiency, and decision-making.

As a fifth-generation hog farmer, he also discusses the importance of family farms, succession planning, labor, and how technology is helping today's producers care for more animals while maintaining high welfare standards.

In this interview:

The future of AI in pork production

How smart barns improve pig care

Feed bin monitoring and automation

Labor challenges and family farming

Why technology is shaping the next generation of producers