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: Aug. 14, 1941
Officials from the three prairie wheat pools urged the federal cabinet’s wheat committee to increase the initial price of wheat to $1 per bushel from 70 cents. They also wanted wheat stocks as of July 31 to be taken off the market and turned into a national emergency reserve.
The federal government tried to quell a controversy over creditor protection by promising to protect the first five bushels per acre of the 1941 crop. Farmers had become nervous over a federal order-in-council that superseded provincial creditor protection legislation.
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Crop insurance’s ability to help producers has its limitations
Farmers enrolled in crop insurance can do just as well financially when they have a horrible crop or no crop at all, compared to when they have a below average crop
50 years ago: Aug. 11, 1966
Grain shipments through the west coast ports of Vancouver, New Westminster, Prince Rupert and Victoria reached a new record of 236.38 million bu. for the recent crop year. It was 10 million bu. more than the previous year.
Prairie farmers seeded 29.8 million acres of wheat in 1966, which was seven percent more than in 1965.
25 years ago: Aug. 15, 1991
The federal government rejected a Canadian Federation of Agriculture call for a summer aid package. “It’s out of the question,” said agriculture minister Bill McKnight.
Farmers were taken aback by the new Net Income Stabilization Account program forms. “I looked at it and I thought, ‘oh my God, is this ever complicated,’ ” said Mike Halyk, vice-chair of the Canadian Wheat Board advisory committee.
10 years ago: Aug. 10, 2006
Congested grain elevators were trying farmers’ patience as they prepared to harvest an above average crop while being unable to deliver grain stored in already full bins. “Till we get it out the north door, I can’t bring it in the south door,” said Clay Babecy from Saskatchewan Wheat Pool’s elevator in Rosetown.
A Conservative MP from Saskatchewan rejected a National Farmers Union study that found farm women weren’t heard by the government or farm organizations. “We’ve got a farm woman that’s the minister for National Revenue and Western Diversification, and that’s me,” Carol Skelton said. “I sit at the table and talk agriculture all the time.”
