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. Weather is a big part of our coverage at The Western Producer, and it’s not just about how Mother Nature can affect agricultural production. Sometimes we also talk […] Read more
Tag Archives WP100
Y2K worries, farm income challenges dominated the 1990s
The 1990s were a time of study and crisis for the Canadian Prairies. The aftermath of the previous decade’s recession, low commodity prices, drought and skyrocketing interest rates had ruined many farmers and those still hanging on were coping with stress and uncertainty. The new millennia brought many questions about how computerized world systems would […] Read more
Look back at the April 23, 1992, 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. Astute readers of this column may be wondering about the date of The Western Producer issue I’m writing about this week — April 23, 1992. If you remember […] Read more
VIDEO: WP 100 Webinar Series – Biologicals in Crop Production
As part of The Western Producer’s 100 Farmers, 100 Questions 100 Years Series, we asked farmers for their thoughts and concerns, and explored the management practices they are using on their farms. In the second session of this webinar series, which was broadcast live on April 18, 2024, The Western Producer’s Robin Booker chats with […] Read more
Look back at the April 20, 1989, 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. The April 20, 1989, issue reminded me of a drive I took last fall with my father through the countryside surrounding Estevan, Sask., including along the reservoir, west […] Read more
Three documentaries capture farm life on the grasslands
It’s not often a movie director arrives in a community and the ideas for the upcoming film come from the community and not the director. After director Scott Parker met community members in town halls and farms across southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan, it was the residents who came up with the themes for the […] Read more
Look back at the April 9, 1987, 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. I was looking forward to reaching the April 9, 1987, issue because it was the first paper that I would write about for this column in that I […] Read more
Look back at April 4, 1985, 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. The April 4, 1985, issue had an interesting story that shows how far we’ve come technologically. The article described an information week run by Saskatchewan Agriculture and the […] Read more
Agricultural diversification was a big focus in the 1980s
The early 1980s featured interest rates as high as 21 percent, drought, and low commodity prices, so many farmers sought ways to diversify their sources of income and create more cash flow. Beekeeping, speciality livestock, fruit trees, garden produce or opening homes as bed and breakfast or vacation farms were among the many options explored. […] Read more
Prairie producers concerned about herbicide resistant weeds
As part of The Western Producer’s 100th anniversary, we conducted a survey with the help of iFusion Research, in which we asked 100 farmers 100 questions. Farmers from across Western Canada, representing a variety of farm sizes and types, were asked about topics as varied as grain marketing, machinery, land use and life on the […] Read more
