Currently, 50 per cent of global pork production and more than 70 per cent of global chicken production comes from industrial systems - from factory farms. In order to combat the dire predictions of climate change, we are being told by the media, the government and NGOs alike that we must all change our lifestyles. Are factory farms the way of the future? With the increasing income of many nations today, there is a growing and unprecedented demand for animal products. Im not particularly...

There are 16 clubs with hogs in the barn and all are pitching in to feed, water and clean pens for the entire barn for however long it takes to get healthy hogs to market. The outbreak began earlier in the week with eight hogs treated by veterinarians at the fair and sent home before the quarantine was imposed. Fair officials requested the voluntary quarantine Saturday night after an outbreak of what is believed to be a viral swine influenza. Hogs were sold Friday at auction and scheduled...

Grain-reliant North Island industries from brewing to pig farming face soaring costs this season as South Island dairy farmers keen to cash in on bumper milk payouts push up the price of barley. Hew Dalrymple, North Island spokesman for Federated Farmers' grains council, predicted the grain - a common ingredient in beer and an important supplementary feed for livestock - would leap in price from $270 a tonne last year to around $400 a tonne in the new season. Barley prices set to skyrocket...

It's not just pig farming that destroys the earth, and there's more to the problem of animal agriculture than waste disposal. While reducing our waste stream is indeed important, commending such an environmentally destructive event sends the wrong message. The fecal pollution created by this industry hasn't just contaminated waterways; it has also fouled the air and tainted groundwater in much of the state. The evidence linking animal agriculture to a myriad of environmental problems is...

Hawaii cattle marketings are up including more local slaughter; local pork production is down but growers are getting better prices; production is down a lot in the Hawaii egg and milk businesses. Local slaughter is up because of heightened consumer interest in locally produced beef and because of contracts to supply beef to military commissaries. For the first five months of the year, production fell from 42 million eggs to a little over 34 million. Hawaii egg production is down...