Hog producers urged to get their flu shot

Nov 14, 2022

Hog farmers seldom think about it, but the flu is a disease risk for which protection is easy and cheap.

“Getting your flu shot is a three-way win,” Jenelle Hamblin, manager of swine health with the Manitoba Pork Council, said at the organization’s Niverville regional meeting Nov. 1.

“You’re protecting yourself. You’re protecting the general population. You’re also protecting your pigs.”

Influenza is both a human and a pig disease. It is capable of jumping the species barrier and frequently does.

Last year a number of people in Manitoba were found to be ill with swine forms of flu, highlighting a risk that is often overlooked.

Flu can be a herd management problem in a number of ways. When barn managers and staff get sick and need to miss days of work, taking care of the animals can become a challenge, especially in times of labour shortages.

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.