AUGUST 27, 1923: The Progressive, a new weekly newspaper for farmers, publishes its first issue, with the slogan “Reliable News – Unfettered Opinions – Western Rights.” Started by war veterans Harris Turner and Patrick Waldron, the Progressive was rushed into print to help support a Prairie-wide drive by farmers to begin pooling their wheat. Pool […] Read more
Stories by Wayne Schmalz
75th ANNIVERSARY SECTION – The Kick Off
There won’t be any fireworks displays or promotional blimps, but The Western Producer is undertaking a variety of activities to mark its 75th anniversary this year. In keeping with the note under our nameplate (“Serving Western Canadian farm families since 1923”), several commemorative activities are meant to support and promote the 4-H organization. When the […] Read more
B.C. farmland swallowed by tree farms
DUNCAN, B.C. – Farmers on Vancouver Island are struggling to keep back the expanding trees. Timber companies like Fletcher Challenge and MacMillan Bloedel are buying and leasing farmland to plant poplar trees. Since farmers stand to make more money growing trees for pulp than raising animals or growing crops for food, many have been enticed […] Read more
