For the next year, this column will mark The Western Producer’s 100th anniversary by taking a deep dive every week into a past issue of the paper. It might be tempting to think that the terrible drought of the 1930s ended on Dec. 31, 1939, but that was not the case. A story in the […] Read more
Tag Archives WP 100
Grain marketing debate was long and heated
A clash of visions between open and controlled markets dominated the prairie ag landscape for much of the last century
Murray Fulton didn’t hesitate when asked to identify an overarching theme in grain marketing on the Canadian Prairies over the last century. “It’s the big question — should you rely on markets, or should you rely on some kind of more controlled system, whether it’s co-op owned, or government controlled?” said the University of Saskatchewan […] Read more
From auto wrecker to Canadian retail chain
The relationship between farmers and Princess Auto, the Canadian retail chain that marks its 90th anniversary this year, has been a long one. Farmers were the key link in Princess Auto’s transformation from an auto wrecker into a national mail-order company, later morphing into 54 stores across Canada with $1 billion in sales per year […] Read more
Look back at the Nov. 4, 1943, issue
For the next year, this column will mark The Western Producer’s 100th anniversary by taking a deep dive every week into a past issue of the paper. War news dominated the front page of the Nov. 4, 1943, issue, with the exception of a story about a coal strike hitting Canada and the United States, […] Read more
Creative solutions found for wartime shortages in 1940s
The shortage of certain foods because of food rationing during the Second World War led to innovative recipes in many kitchens. Farm women and government home economists shared new recipe ideas and food saving preparation tips in newspaper columns, at club meetings and in cookbooks. Many unidentified readers submitted suggestions to The Western Producer that […] Read more
Look back at the Oct. 14, 1937, issue
For the next year, this column will mark The Western Producer’s 100th anniversary by taking a deep dive every week into a past issue of the paper. In the 1930s, the federal government asked Justice W.F.A. Turgeon to conduct a royal inquiry into the marketing of Canadian grain. The judge released his report in 1938, […] Read more
VIDEO: Father of canola leaves legacy of green and gold
The University of Manitoba has collected extensive archives remembering the researcher who helped develop the crop
Every day, thousands of people pass the Baldur Stefansson bust in the centre of the University of Manitoba’s main campus. The U of M is extremely proud of the renowned crop developer, known jointly with Keith Downey as the “father of canola.” His bust was the very first to be placed at Innovation Plaza, facing […] Read more
Agricultural research was early priority for young country
Agricultural research in Canada has been conducted by the private and public sectors since the country’s beginning. This timeline looks mainly at the development of federal agricultural research in Canada and is based on information from the Canadian Encyclopedia. 1821: The first record of agricultural research is an attempt to establish an experimental dairy farm […] Read more
From tires to tracks: traction continues to evolve
Taking a look at how the rubber belted Challenger was inspired by a collaboration between implement engineers
Another instalment in the article series that tracks the development of ag equipment during the 100 years of The Western Producer. Take a look at images of early tractors and the obvious design differences were wide and varied as inventors searched for that perfect configuration, one that could efficiently turn engine power into usable traction. […] Read more
