Last week U.S. president Bill Clinton, with PLO leader Yasser Arafat by his side in the White House, was prepared to answer questions about the sensitive Middle East situation. But instead the press interrogated the president about his relationship with a former intern, while Arafat was ignored. The uncomfortable press conference showed the significance journalists […] Read more
Stories by Elaine Shein
Dairy producers’ fantasy now world class reality
HILMAR, Calif. – This month, the talk on coffee row here will be about a new $3 million (U.S.) visitor centre opening soon next to a cheese processing plant down the road. Each morning a half dozen or more dairy producers get together at their favorite coffee shop – Stacy’s in Hilmar, population 2,500 – […] Read more
More than petition needed for youths
Anger and frustration have sparked a national petition demanding changes to the Young Offenders Act. While a murder case in North Battleford, Sask., involving a young offender is at the bottom of recent outcry, there will probably be a few more cases involving youths accused of crimes, from petty theft to first-degree murder, that will […] Read more
Polling methods
Polls are most frequent and official around election time, but you can never let your guard down. Your opinion might be tabulated in places where you least expect it. According to a Saskatoon Star Phoenix article last July, an exhibition program manager said he heard “good feedback” about the exhibition. The paper said the manager […] Read more
Journalist numbers
How many journalists does it take to cover a country? A Washington Post article a few months ago said that in France there’s one journalist for every 2,000 French citizens; in the U.S. there’s one for every 5,000 people. That trivia opens up an interesting debate on the role of journalists and how many are […] Read more
75th ANNIVERSARY SECTION – OOOPs! We goofed – and you put us straight
Be careful with that hand-me-down potato soup recipe if it’s from The Western Producer dated Jan. 7, 1993. The first clue that there is something wrong is the recipe item calling for brandy. Oops. And if you saw that photograph in the April 18, 1996 issue, showing an upside down dairy barn, be assured the […] Read more
75th ANNIVERSARY SECTION – Who, where and what you are
Farmers are a diverse lot. Some are big operators and some are small. Many produce grain, others livestock. Some rush to embrace new technology, others wait for the neighbor to try it first. But one thing in common for most of you is The Western Producer. We arrive in your home each week and you’ve […] Read more
75th ANNIVERSARY SECTION – We pledge…
(As approved by the board of directors of Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, summer 1989) The Western Producer mission statement is: To be the best source of agricultural news and information. The cornerstones of The Western Producer as a business are: Publishing a credible newspaper with: fair, balanced reporting and informative, entertaining features for Western Canadian farm […] Read more
Farewell, Rusty
When R. H. “Rusty” Macdonald passed away Christmas Eve at the age of 82, he left many contributions. A library in Saskatoon is named after him; prairie writers owe some of their earliest success to the Prairie Books he helped create; books of prairie photos he snapped still sit on coffee tables; and farmers fighting […] Read more
Year of odd weather strains many farm families
Elaine Shein is Producer managing editor. At a time when snow should be falling and Christmas lights twinkling, ashes fell and fires lit up the night. Alberta’s foothills are renowned for howling winds propelling giant windmills, but instead the wind fanned raging grass fires. More than 50 kilometres of land were devoured in five hours […] Read more
