The Western Producer takes a weekly look at some of the stories that made headlines in issues of the paper from 75, 50, 25 and 10 years ago.
75 years ago: May 29, 1941
The Canadian Wheat Board warned farmers not to delay delivering grain because farm storage payments for 1940 wheat would “definitely be discontinued after July 31, 1941.”
Despite farmer protests and opposition from MPs of all parties, the House of Commons’ committee of the whole adopted without amendment a three cent per gallon tax on gasoline. There had been fierce opposition to applying the tax to farmers.
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Farm groups are too amiable with the federal government
Farm groups and commodity groups in Canada often strike a conciliatory tone, rather than aggressively criticizing the government.
50 years ago: May 26, 1966
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s Western Agricultural Conference asked the federal government to allow the wheat board to market rye, flax and rapeseed. The board already regulated deliveries of those crops, but it didn’t sell them on behalf of farmers the way it did with wheat, oats and barley.
Alberta announced plans to open a regional veterinary diagnostics laboratory in Fairview to serve the Peace River region. The agriculture department’s veterinary services division had provided veterinary services from its Edmonton lab since 1947 and had opened a regional lab in Lethbridge in 1965. The Fairview lab would serve a similar function for northern farmers.
25 years ago: May 30, 1991
European Community farm ministers agreed to accept austerity measures that could open up the prospect of reforms to the EC’s controversial farm subsidy system. The measures, which included freezing and in some cases cutting beef, milk and grain prices, were expected to relieve the EC’s trading rivals, which had resented having to compete with subsidized farm products.
The Canadian Grain Commission didn’t expect to appeal a federal court ruling that found it guilty of negligence in enforcing the Canada Grain Act.
The court had ordered the commission to compensate farmers for money they lost in the Econ Consulting Ltd. and Memco Ltd. bankruptcies of the 1980s. The ruling was expected to cost the commission $3 to $5 million.
10 years ago: May 25, 2006
A six-year $17 million study concluded that there was no link between oil and gas emissions in Western Canada and cattle health.
The Western Interprovincial Scientific Studies Association examined more than 33,000 cattle in 205 herds in Alberta, Sask-atchewan and northern British Columbia after producers said they believed there was a link between oil industry emissions and the health of productivity of their cattle.
Ben Gray, the Alberta bison producer who was attempting to take his boat around the world with the help of his sons, Kevin and Brad, arrived in Tokyo. Gray had left Dunvegan, Alta., on May 24 of the previous year and was on the final leg of his journey.
bruce.dyck@producer.com
