Satellite Technology Helps Ranchers Manage Feed Crops

Nov 20, 2017

The Government of Canada is committed to working with agricultural industry partners to explore and develop new risk management tools that meet the needs of Canadian farmers when faced with serious challenges beyond their control.

Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, Terry Duguid, on behalf of Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister, Lawrence MacAulay, was at the University of Manitoba’s Asper School of Business today to announce federal support for a study exploring the use of new and innovative technology to track hay and pasture production. The cutting-edge research, headed by Dr. Lysa Porth in the Warren Centre for Actuarial Studies and Research at the University of Manitoba’s I.H. Asper School of Business, will play an important role in contributing to the stability to the cattle sector.

Working with the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association (SCA), with $988,000 in federal funding, the project consists of collaborative research with Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) to use new satellite-based technology to reliably estimate forage growth at the farm level in each province, and to develop a forage production index, which would form the basis for the development of new insurance tools.

Source : Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Video: CEOs of the Industry: John McIntire, Partner at Pike Pig Systems

CEOs of the Industry, Jim sits down with John McIntire, Partner at Pike Pig Systems, one of the most quietly impressive 26,000-sow operations in the U.S. John shares how he grew from operator to partner, how Pike built a people-first culture with long-tenured managers, and why they’re committed to weaning bigger, stronger pigs at 25+ days.

John breaks down how Pike stays efficient in a tough economic environment, the power of their shareholder-owned farm model, and how their work with PIC and a 240-head boar facility drives genetics and health outcomes. He also opens up about the innovations Pike adopts — and how they decide what’s truly valuable versus industry hype.

From Prop 12 and labor challenges to trade, consumer expectations, and sustainability, John chooses a hot-button issue and shares how Pike is preparing for the future. The episode closes with a rapid-fire “Fast Five” — mindset, leadership, daily habits, and three words that define Pike Pig Systems in 2025.

If you want a look inside a people-driven, purpose-driven, quietly elite pork system, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.