Wheat begets wheat; rain begets rain; gophers beget gophers; rust begets rust; drought begets drought; but there is some satisfaction in the thought that hail cannot reproduce its kind.
So said the first issue of the Progressive, the genesis of the farmer’s bible that became the Western Producer. Words published almost exactly 80 years ago can still earn a smile of recognition among readers because the challenges presented by weather are a constant in agricultural life.
We’ve been reflecting on constants, changes and the past quite a bit this week because of the 80th anniversary milestone and because of surprise, that stuff of which news is made.
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The first surprise was a sad one: the death of Rose Jardine, a long-time Western Producer editor and columnist. Jardine joined the paper in 1937 and worked with the paper’s first women’s editor, the famous Violet McNaughton. She was women’s editor herself from 1950-60 and after marrying and moving to Oyen, Alta., she provided a gardening column until 1996.
Her skill, talent and knowledge begat readership and credibility for this newspaper. It seems somehow fitting to acknowledge Jardine’s many contributions to the Producer in an issue when we reflect so much upon its history.
The next surprise was from a different quarter entirely: the business front. Glacier Ventures International Corp. announced plans to buy Farm Business Communications. That doesn’t sound overly exciting until one realizes that Glacier owns the Western Producer and that Farm Business Communications comprises an array of agricultural publications including Grainews, Country Guide, Manitoba Co-ooperator and Cattlemen, among others.
Thus the Producer and fellow agricultural publications, many of them traditional rivals for subscribers and advertising dollars, have been adopted by the same parents, so to speak.
What will this adoption beget? No huge farm media babies, according to the parents. GVIC bosses say that if and when the purchase is made, the publications will continue to operate on the same footing as before.
We were absorbing this news last week while putting together one of the largest issues in Western Producer history – the 160 page effort you hold in your hands. As you’ll read inside, it takes about 80 people to bring about one issue of the Producer, and those people have to expend even more effort when the package reaches this size.
Additionally, we’re happy to include many congratulations, stories and personal accounts provided by our readers. Thanks for sharing this special occasion with us.
