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Pig Production

'Here we are': science teacher finds passion for pig farming

After decades of teaching high school science, Mr Cox decided to drop a couple of days at his local school and instead turn his hand to free-range pig farming.
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Pigs feast on grain in troughs on the muddy ground whilst a smiling, bearded man squats behind them.

How these brothers turned a modest family farm into an agricultural empire, changing the future for rural families

Mick and Ben Hewitt often do business in boardrooms, but it is clear the brothers are truly content in the dust and dirt.
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Two men wearing cowboy hats stand near horses at sunrise.

Families at this school know exactly where their Christmas hams come from

Parents in Lucindale, in South Australia's south-east, can just ask their children to find out how the pig that became their Christmas ham lived.
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Small pigs in a pen with straw

If foot and mouth disease reaches Australia, could we contain it?

Off the back of Australia's failed eradication of varroa mite, researchers are testing the country's ability to control an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among the feral pig population. The results are troubling.
Feral pig close up with tag and collar

Micro abattoir approved in Victoria's Central Highlands

A micro abattoir in Victoria's central highlands gets the local council's green light promising improved animal welfare and a secure supply chain for local farmers.
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A cut of pork

WA's largest pork producer 'shocked' by mass pig deaths on supplier's farm

Linley Valley Pork says it is deeply concerned by animal welfare issues on the property, where hundreds of pigs have died in recent days.
Baby piglets next to their mother.

Animal activists accused of intimidating pork industry staff, farmers

The pork industry slams animal activist groups claiming some posed as plumbers to get into an Australian Pork Limited office.
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Margo Andrae appearing at Senate committee

Pigs growing 'overweight' as abattoir backlog hits producers

The owner of a WA piggery is struggling to get his pigs to abattoirs due to a processing backlog that has so far cost him half a million dollars.
A pink pig, backlit, looks straight on at the camera, which is zoomed in on its face.

Seven protesters charged with trespass following alleged break-in at Benalla abattoir

Seven animal activists have been charged with trespassing after they allegedly broke into an abattoir in Benalla and chained themselves to machinery.
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A police car outside an abattoir with protesters

Australia 'in for the long haul' after Indonesia's latest foot-and-mouth declaration

Australia's chief vet says people should remain alert to the risks for years to come, after Indonesia moves away from an emergency response to a business-as-usual approach to the disease.
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A cow with a bit of drool coming out of its mouth

Calls for investigation after pig gassing footage aired

There are calls for greater scrutiny of the pork industry after the ABC's 7.30 program airs video of pigs being stunned by carbon dioxide before slaughter.
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A pig in a cage.

Hidden cameras capture carbon dioxide stunning in Australia's pork industry

The use of carbon dioxide to stun pigs before slaughter is legal and widespread – but activists believe the industry doesn't want you to know what it looks like.
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Composite image of a man with a pig behind him.

On this farm, conversation turns to beef, bitcoin and 'sovereignty'

A group of farmers and health-conscious Australians say they are part of a food movement that involves Bitcoin.
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Two people stand in foreground with Bitcoin themed tshirts, while a group of several dozen mill about at a farm

How a farmer has bounced back from a bushfire that killed 4,500 pigs

The "sounds and stuff you saw" have not left WA farmer Michael Lange since 50 per cent of his piggery went up in flames. His recovery has been helped by the generosity of the communities around him.
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Piggery on fire

Thousands of tonnes of peanuts are imported each year. This crop research could change that

A trial in northern Australia is looking at giving peanuts growers an extra revenue stream to encourage more plantings.
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A glass jar of peanut butter surrounded by peanuts

Japanese encephalitis vaccine for pigs 'months away' from Australian rollout

After the deaths five people and thousands of pigs, developers are waiting for the go-ahead to start manufacturing the vaccine on an industrial scale.
pig in paddock

Piggery causes a stink with neighbours saying they are unable to open windows, entertain guests

Neighbours of a WA piggery say they are still battling the stench left by its former owner, which copped a $700,000 fine for the odours last week.
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Young pigs, Kojonup facility

Demand for Christmas hams soars as beef and lamb too expensive for lunch

Hams are the go-to for Christmas spreads this year due to dramatic rises in beef and lamb prices, while pork remains steady.
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A baked ham leg glazed with maple syrup and spices, a simple recipe for Christmas.

Investigation by trespass reveals caged pigs years after sow stall phase-out

Animal activists have accused several Victorian piggeries of using sow stalls for extended periods, despite the pork industry pledging to voluntarily phase out the practice by 2017.
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Piglets in hay

Feral pigs in the crosshairs amid rising foot-and-mouth fears

Pest specialists say it has taken the threat of potentially disastrous diseases to instigate action on feral pig control, as aerial shooting culls almost 20,000 in seven months.
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Thousands of pigs have been eradicated in the NSW western Riverina in the last 6 weeks.

Calls for feral pig cull to stem foot-and-mouth disease threat

With foot-and-mouth disease on Australia's doorstep and biosecurity measures increased, landholders are worried feral animals could cause an uncontrollable outbreak. 
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A light-brown half-grown feral pig stands in mud.

'I can still smell it': Foot-and-mouth disease is on our doorstep. What will it look like if it spreads?

Viral fragments of foot-and-mouth-disease have been found in Australia. But what does that actually mean — and what would it look like if it spread throughout the country?
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Two people walk at night in front of large glowing controlled blaze

A devastating disease sits at Australia's doorstep. Here’s how you can help stop its spread

Foot-and-mouth disease is spreading across livestock in Bali and throughout Indonesia. If it were to reach Australia, the consequences would be devastating. 
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A pool full of people drinking near a beach during sunset.

'We pay ourselves in sausages': The 'tricky' business of being mobile pig farmers

In this week's episode of Movin' To The Country, meet the chef who moved to Australia for love and ended up running a regenerative piggery that moves around the Macedon Ranges.
Two women standing arm in arm, smiling in a forest setting.

Calls for beefed up biosecurity after tourist hotspot Bali confirms foot-and-mouth disease

A livestock disease that could shut down Australia's meat and livestock trade has reached Bali, sparking calls for harsher border measures for those returning from the popular tourist destination.
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Brahman cattle in a pen.