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Beef Farmers of Ontario Congratulates Minister Lisa Thompson on her Return to Agriculture and Food

Guelph, Ont. – The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) extends a warm congratulations and welcome back to Minister Lisa Thompson who will resume her role as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, as announced today by Premier Ford during the unveiling of his new cabinet. As a resident and Member of Provincial Parliament of the Huron-Bruce area, Minister Thompson has a deep connectionto farm and rural issues, and is well positioned to continue to address the needs of Ontario’s 19,000 beef
farmers.

“We have established a good rapport with Minister Thompson over the past twelve months as we worked together on a number of issues, most notably our efforts to address drought conditions in northwestern Ontario and improvements made to Ontario’s Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program. Minister Thompson has been an ally for Ontario’s food and agriculture sectors long before her career in politics began. We value her affinity for farmers and look forward to getting things done with a specific focus on support for Ontario’s Risk Management Program (RMP) and all business risk management programming available to beef farmers,” says Jack Chaffe, BFO President.

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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