Saskatchewan's Pork Sector Shows Potential

The pork industry in Saskatchewan is growing, today the industry produces about 2.3 million pigs a year.

 

Mark Ferguson is General Manager of Sask Pork and says the economics for the pork sector is looking good.

 

“You know this protein shortage worldwide is going to result in higher prices. Secondly, I mean the past year with the harvest we had, there's significant feed grains available and the prices are a little lower than they've been in recent years. So, I mean that's certainly helpful for the bottom line of hog producers. I think there's lots of tough and wet green out there that still needs to be dried and hog producers can make use of that type of product.”

 

He’s optimistic about the growth in the industry.

 

“We've had a couple of new barns built and populated with hogs and that's very exciting for the industry. I think we're probably going to see some more construction in the New Year which is great. You know, I think there's some very positive indicators that are influencing people’s decisions to build barns.”

Video: CEOs of the Industry – International Edition Michael Agerley | Partner, IQinAbox

In this CEOs of the Industry – International Edition, we sit down with Michael Agerley, Partner at IQinAbox, to explore how data is reshaping the future of pig production.

After more than 20 years as a veterinarian, Michael shares his unique perspective on the shift from hands-on animal care to data-driven decision making across the pork value chain.

We dive into:

• How better data is improving real on-farm decisions

• The biggest opportunities still untapped in pig production

• How Europe is leading (and where it’s still lagging) in tech adoption

• The role of AI and smart systems in the next 5–10 years

• Why trust, leadership, and practical application matter more than ever

This conversation bridges veterinary insight, technology, and real-world farming, offering a clear look at where the industry is headed—and what it will take to get there.