Happy Friday! While I am typing this, I’m having a hard time believing that summer is almost half over. School supplies are in the stores and after the long weekend the annual Staples “they’re going back” commercial will once again start too.

Those who know me best know I do not adapt well to change, well within the last few weeks I had to get a new phone, believe it or not I actually said good bye to my Blackberry. Honestly, I had no choice as there was not one in Edmonton, Calgary or Red Deer under our provider. So I’m learning to survive without my keyboard, slowly . . . I have also started a Facebook page for Prairie Hog Country, please have a look and feel free to like and follow. I will try and keep it updated with happenings in between editions.

June was a hectic month but a good one. Many industry folks started the first of three consecutive weeks at Work Pork Expo, followed by Alberta Pork Congress and then concluded with Ontario Pork Congress. Although always great to see producers face to face where ever you are it makes for a busy few weeks.

Speaking of Alberta Pork Congress, it was a solid turn out and the aisles seemed busy. There will never been the overcrowding as there was 15 plus years ago, the industry has shrunk too much. Producers and companies are fewer. Congratulations to each of the winners, Jim Haggins for Lifetime Achievement, Murray Roeske, Industry Ambassador and Neudorf Colony for Farm Team. Each were deserving in their categories. Also presented during the annual banquet were the Olymel Reach for the Top Awards, kudos to those winners too. Food Safety to Viking Colony, Core Lean to Lougheed Colony South, Core Weight to Fairville, High Health to A & A Van Ginkel Pork Farm and Grand Champion Mialta Colony.

Thanks to everybody who stopped by to see me at my usual corner, it was great to chat with so many of you. I truly appreciate all the positive comments we receive, they make this job so rewarding. Over the past 20 years, yes it is a job, more like a passion to keep producers informed but more so been able to make so many friends along the way too.

Right after Pork Congress was the 3rd annual Porkapalooza, the brainchild of Alberta Pork. It was a great time and I was able to be on site both Saturday and Sunday. Huge thanks go to all the sponsors, suppliers and volunteers for putting on such a speculator three day BBQ. I have never ate so much pulled pork in a 48 hour span, it was awesome!

Check out the Pork Chop section that lists all of the upcoming seminars, symposiums and workshops. Keeping staff informed and trained is so important.

Inside this issue are the complete results from our annual readership survey. Thanks to all the producers who took the time to fill out and return, it is much appreciated. Yes we are going to remain focused on the Western Canadian hog industry, Canada is a huge country and farms in Ontario, where so many more family farms, are different than out west. Others can expand but we will remain true to our goals since 1996 and proud to do it. We were honored again to be the most useful, most informative and favorite magazine in Western Canada. I was surprised how many producers kept past editions and 92 per cent say that advertisements do influence their purchasing decisions. See all the results on pages 34 & 35.

The top three have been selected for the photo contest, however there is still time to submit photos for consideration for the 2017 Prairie Hog Country Calendar. If you are emailing them in please ensure they are large files. We are unable to use pictures that are saved small with low resolution, they are just not clear enough to print.

Recently I was able to spend some time at City Life Farms, and it was great to see the old style farming as I like to call it. The farm looked so much like my grandparents place, red out buildings and all. Due to space in this issue watch for the story in the October release.

As always I am only a phone call or email away. Prairie Hog Country, Box 5536, Leduc, Alberta T9E 2A1, 780.986.0962, fax 780.980.9640 or email: hogcountry@shaw.ca

Talk to you in October.