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
Stories by Elaine Shein
Agreement possible on interprovincial trade barriers
VANCOUVER – Ten years after the provinces began to seriously discuss the dismantling of provincial barriers, the walls may finally begin to come down in 1995. Arthur Mauro, chair of Internal Trade Negotiations, discussed the 195 pages of work done so far in allowing free movement of Canadian goods, services, people and capital. Mauro told […] Read more
Rail company lists numerous reasons for Canada’s grain movement problems
Western Producer staff (Shein is managing editor of the Western Producer, and last week covered the annual meeting of the Canada Grains Council in Vancouver.) A paper released by CP Rail Systems lists what the railway company considers caused the problems for Canada’s grain transportation system this past year: The former Soviet Union and China […] Read more
GATT encourages industry co-operation for prosperity
VANCOUVER – If supply-management producers become more efficient and market responsive to new world trade rules, it may be beneficial for everyone, suggest sector leaders. Robin Robinson, a British Columbia milk producer, told the Canada Grains Council that while the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade is a bad deal for dairy producers, they will […] Read more
Grains council plans to examine transport systems worldwide
VANCOUVER – The Canada Grains Council plans to lead a series of studies looking at how Canadian farmers, grain companies, railways and ports stand up to the United States, Australia and the European Union. A work plan will be developed by the end of April, said council president Doug Campbell after the council’s annual meeting. […] Read more
Ships wait in harbor, but wrong grain arrives
VANCOUVER – The longshoremen are back at work, the railways have an almost record capacity of railway cars on track, and the weather no longer impedes shipments to the West Coast. However, approximately 40 ships are collecting demurrage of $10,000 or more per day in the harbor just outside the port of Vancouver, waiting to […] Read more
Cross-border shopping
BIRMINGHAM, Wash. – The factory outlet places here are tailor-made for Canadian shoppers. Licence plates reveal a large number of British Columbian shoppers are here. However, the poor exchange rate for Canadian dollars has led to fewer cross-border bargain-seekers. Lineups have dwindled outside customs offices at the 49th parallel. The local economy is stinging. It […] Read more
B.C. is changing
VANCOUVER – In the Prairies, rural depopulation is a painful issue we’ve covered frequently. Small towns struggle to survive as the younger generations move away; families give up farming and move to the cities for jobs; schools and hospitals are closing down or amalgamating with other communities in order to survive. In British Columbia, farmers, […] Read more
New Farm Living editor
Recently one of our staff members moved her chair 3.6 metres over to take on a new job. It might not seem like a big move, but after serving 11 years as copy editor, the move is significant for our new Farm Living editor, Diane Rogers. Rogers, who has worked at the Western Producer 14 […] Read more
WP serves as a splint
Eleven-year-old William Francis, from Canyon Creek, Alta., is one of our newspaper’s biggest fans, but it isn’t for the stories or pictures. “Your newspaper is good for a splint,” he wrote in a letter recently. “On March 12 I broke my arm. Since your paper is thick it was best for a splint.” In case […] Read more
