Ever see something that you thought would make a great photo for our paper? Do you perhaps carry a camera in your pickup’s glove compartment for those “just in case” shots? Since our staff can’t be everywhere on the prairies, we encourage people to send their photos and we pay on publication. If you’re interested […] Read more
Stories by Elaine Shein
Branding reality
A tragic accident occurs: the scene involves a great deal of blood and scattered alcohol bottles thrown from the vehicle. At a park, a misbehaving child receives harsh words and a spanking from a parent. The child bawls loudly. Springtime at the ranch: the calves are branded, castrated and dehorned. The calves bawl, smoke rises […] Read more
Remembering war
This week’s opinion pages digress from their usual format as D-Day is honored on its 50th anniversary. Why should such a large amount of space be devoted to an event that happened so long ago? Many of our readers may not remember it, for they were the next generation, seemingly far removed from the effects […] Read more
4-H concerns
What is the difference between cheating and being over-zealous? In the April 28 issue, we published a story about how U.S. investigators are looking into abuse at 4-H and Future Farmers of America shows. Cosmetic surgery and drugs are used in some cases to give animals the edge in competition. This is clearly cheating. On […] Read more
Crop reports
Sunday midnight. Beneath the gliding northern lights, a few tractors till the land, preferring the calmness of the night to the blustery spring days that have begun lifting topsoil again. As the annual ritual of working the land appears across the prairies, crop reports appear in our newspaper. Each week we compile information gathered from […] Read more
Future graduates need to be more flexible
VANCOUVER — University curriculums are changing as employers want trained graduates who are flexible, James Elliot told a recent Canada Grains Council meeting here. Elliot, dean of agriculture at the University of Manitoba, said there is an urgent need for changing curricula. Universities need to think in terms of the agri-food system and graduates have […] Read more
Asian whirlwind
A whirlwind trip to Asia has given our farm management editor, Colleen Munro, some insight into the markets Canadians are eager to develop. Japan, South Korea, China and Hong Kong were all ambitious targets pursued by the Canadian trade delegation Munro travelled with recently. The delegation included agriculture minister Ralph Goodale, Gov. Gen. Ramon Hnatyshyn […] Read more
Grain co-ordination needed
Western Producer staff The grain industry is undergoing one of the most tumultuous times in its history. A series of unusual events has led to an urgent situation at Canada’s western ports, and grain customers are expressing serious concerns about whether Canada will meet its market obligations. This has led to cries that every player […] Read more
Touring tulip farms
SKAGIT VALLEY, Wash. — While prairie farmers still plan what to seed in their fields, tulip farmers in this area of Washington are facing some of their busiest weeks of the year. Thousands of tourists daily trek from Seattle, Vancouver and places in between to undertake the annual “tulip tour” through this scenic valley. Between […] Read more
Supply management survey showed half supported GATT deal
VANCOUVER — Before the April 15 signing by 125 countries of an international trade agreement, Canadians heard conflicting views on how farmers will be affected. Television commercials such as the one showing dairy farms being transformed from pastoral to derelict strongly impressed Canadians. When Angus Reid polled 2,000 people across the country in April 1992, […] Read more
