Ask people who’ve never taken the controls of a plane whether they could land one in an emergency, and you may be surprised by how many say yes. But how many pilots could manage a hog farm? There’s at least one.

Meet Katie, a barn manager from southeast Manitoba. Katie once dreamed of becoming a professional pilot and even earned her license, before deciding to pursue a different path, raising pigs close to home and remaining near her family.

The art of flying, using your instruments, taking a variety of factors into account at any given time, and perhaps most importantly, considering your passengers or other cargo, all need to be top of mind. Managing a hog barn is much the same. There are a variety of factors that must be considered, like the health of the animals, feed deliveries, staff being available, water lines, and ventilation to name a few.

“I got my pilot’s license, but I found I could not leave the barn,” said Katie. “I had fallen in love. I knew I couldn’t leave. And I knew that there was where I was supposed to be. This is where I was called to.”

Raising pigs involves balancing many responsibilities every day. Katie oversees staff and daily barn operations, manages maintenance and ensures pigs remain safe, healthy and well cared for at every stage of life. Her work is also guided by 105 animal care requirements set out in Canada’s Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs, which addresses topics such as housing, nutrition, health and handling.

“The best day in the barn is where everybody’s safe and our pigs are healthy and content,” Katie added. “Our animals are everything to us because they are our job. They are our farm and for us that’s super important. I don’t know of a bigger responsibility in the world than caring for the animals that feed us”.

All Manitoba hog farms are now part of the new Canadian Pork Excellence programs, including PigCARE and PigSAFE. These programs allow registered pork producers to demonstrate that they meet animal care, food safety and traceability requirements. Farms undergo annual audits by trained professionals, who can identify areas where changes to operations are needed.

95% of Canadian pigs are raised in open group pens, including about half of the sows in Manitoba. Canada’s hog sector is making progress each day to house even more pigs in open housing thanks to new investments across the sector in infrastructure and barn improvements.

“A lifelong commitment to continuous improvement is a key part of hog farming,” said Sheldon, the operator of the barn that Katie manages. “I learned that people are number one, and so I always want to grow the relationship with my staff… Teammates like Katie are so vital to the work we do every day to raise pigs to the highest standards of care.”

Pigs today benefit from better individualized care and improved health, and farmers protect their animals from disease by following strict health procedures, such as showering before entering barns and routinely cleaning pig pens. These practices help prevent disease, resulting in healthier pigs and a safer food supply. Barns provide pigs with shelter and a comfortable space in which to grow, and they’re meticulously planned in their development and construction.

Farmers and barn staff play a vital role in the long-term success of our sector and in ensuring pigs receive only the best possible care. While this care takes many forms, Manitoba’s hog sector is guided by rigorous standards that ensure only safe and nutritious pork makes its way to your table.

“Every day brings new challenges on the farm,” said Sheldon. “But individuals like Katie do a great job of adapting to these challenges and to the environment they are in.”

To learn more about how Manitoba farmers care for pigs and the standards that guide their work, visit manitobapork.com/animalcare