Updated: Euthanized 1,300 Piglets Case Continues

Aug 30, 2012

Manitoba Pig Farm Animal Cruelty Investigation Disturbing

The case against the Manitoba pig farm under investigation for animal cruelty continues. Until now, the name of the farm was unknown and it’s been found that HP Farm Equipment in Winkler, Manitoba is the farm under investigation. The farm operation is managed by two brothers - Bernie and Menno Bergen. Some have said that the brothers have been experiencing financial hardships over the past several years.

An anonymous call from a concerned citizen prompted the investigation that began last Friday, where local authorities euthanized 1,300 after finding them under severe stress. The images are disturbing - there were bins of dead piglet carcasses. The incident has shocked the agriculture community and the Manitoba Pork Council has come out and said that hog farmers are in a desperate situation with the prices of feed skyrocketing - losing on average $50 per pig.

"Producers are under a lot of financial pressure to react to the high cost of feeding their hogs right now, it's very difficult for them when there's no economic return," said Doug Chorney, spokesperson for Keystone Agriculture Producers.

Video: How Can We Grow More Food With Less Impact?

For over two decades, Dr. Mitloehner has been at the forefront of research on how animal agriculture affects our air and our climate. With deep expertise in emissions and volatile organic compounds, his work initially focused on air quality in regions like California’s Central Valley—home to both the nation’s richest agricultural output and some of its poorest air quality.

In recent years, methane has taken center stage in climate discourse—not just scientifically, but politically. Once a topic reserved for technical discussions about manure management and feed efficiency, it has become a flashpoint in debates over sustainability, regulation, and even the legitimacy of livestock farming itself.

Dr. Frank Mitloehner, Professor and Air Quality Specialist with the CLEAR Center sits down with Associate Director for Communications at the CLEAR Center, Joe Proudman.