This column is part of a series that marks the Western Producer’s 100th anniversary by taking a deep dive every week into a past issue of the paper.
The front page of the Aug. 1, 2019, issue was a good news-bad news scenario.
The good news was in a story about Alberta Agriculture researchers training dogs to sniff out clubroot in the field. There’s no word on whether this worked, but it’s a cool idea.
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The bad news came in a story about the possibility that too much phosphorus applied with canola seed was resulting in poor plant stands.
However, good news won out in the end with the help of the front page photo of happy, smiling people playing tug-of-war with a steam tractor during the Manitoba Thresherman’s Reunion and Stampede at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum near Austin.
Canada was 2 1/2 years into its volatile relationship with the United States’ volatile president, Donald Trump, which seemed to be a good time to hold a panel discussion about U.S.-Canada relations.
Two former U.S. ambassadors to Canada and a former Canadian ambassador to the U.S. spent time talking about attempts to negotiate a new North American Free Trade Agreement, which was stalled when the discussion took place, but they also explored the relationship in general.
“Our relationship is stronger than the politicians of the day or the politics of the day,” said former American ambassador David Jacobson.
That optimism might be needed next year, considering a Trump return to the presidency looks increasingly likely.
Cattle producers were ticked off that summer when The Weather Network posted a video telling Canadians they could help the environment by eating 1.4 fewer burgers a week.
As you can imagine, that didn’t go over very well, and producers took to Twitter to voice their displeasure.
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association met with representatives from the TV channel to discuss the controversy, and producers seemed satisfied.
“I understand they have said that they are never going to advise people on what to eat, ever again,” said CCA vice-president Bob Lowe.
