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Survey for alternative and outdoor pig farmers in Minnesota

As you may be aware, there are more alternative pig farms in Minnesota than there are large commercial farms. These farms are important for sustainability and make the food supply chain more resilient by providing pork locally but not a lot is known about the production and marketing practices. It is important to characterize these as there may be improvement opportunities that can aid in maintaining your pigs health.

My name is Miranda Medrano and I am a 3rd year PhD student at the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine. I am conducting a survey to learn more about the different farming, management, biosecurity, and marketing practices used on farms that raise pigs outdoors or allow pigs outdoor access at least partially during the year in Minnesota.

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Seaweed-Based Solutions: Building Natural Performance in Modern Swine Production

Video: Seaweed-Based Solutions: Building Natural Performance in Modern Swine Production

In today’s pork industry, producers are under increasing pressure to do more with fewer inputs—while maintaining performance, improving animal health, and meeting sustainability expectations.

we sit down with Sylvain David and Scott Preston from Olmix to explore how seaweed-based solutions are emerging as a foundational tool in modern swine nutrition.

Rather than acting as simple alternatives, these solutions are designed to support gut health, immune resilience, and overall system consistency—especially during key stress periods like weaning, feed transitions, and disease challenges.

The conversation dives into:

• What seaweed-based solutions actually are and how they work

• Why consistency and standardization matter in “natural” products

• How gut health connects to immune function and performance

• Where producers are seeing real-world impact today

• The role of natural solutions in the future of sustainable pork production