Our History & Farming Articles - Manitoba Co-operator

Hostile takeover bid for UGG launched

Our History: July 1997

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff June 30, 2016

In March of 1997, Manitoba Pool and Alberta Wheat Pool joined to launch a hostile takeover bid of United Grain Growers. UGG fought off the offer with a “poison pill” defence to lower its share values, and the Pools later dropped the takeover attempt. However, UGG continued with a defence strategy against future takeovers and

Our History

Mobile phones of yesteryear and crops reach a “desperate” stage

Our History: June 1988

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff June 16, 2016

Mobile communication options today look different than those offered in our June 16, 1988 issue. Last week’s Our History item was from 1961, which had been driest ever on the Prairies, even drier than the 1930s. That dubious distinction ended in 1988, and our front-page story described crop conditions as “desperate.” The Red River Valley

Our History

‘Bale as you combine,’ and the Virden Auction mart opens

Our History: June 1961

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff June 9, 2016

The Welger combine-attached balers advertised in our June 1, 1961 issue were “proven under Canadian conditions” and would “fit most self-propelled combines and are making extra money for hundreds of enthusiastic growers.” The bales could go to the Stramit strawboard factory in former air force hangars in Carberry, which had its official opening the previous

Our History

Kirschmann Spra-Coupe, and wheat exports see a five-year low

Our History: June 1968

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff June 2, 2016

This Kirschmann Spra-Coupe advertised in our June 13, 1968 issue featured a 54-foot spray pattern and speeds up to 25 m.p.h. The main front-page news that issue was Manitoba Pool Elevators directors recommending that the Pool convert to a “line” company. Unlike the other two Prairie Pools, which were centrally owned from the start, each

Our History

Tire sales and the farmer’s guide to nuclear attack

Our History: May 1961

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff May 26, 2016

This ad from our May 11, 1961 issue offered a special on tractor and truck tires, with a 15×30 — 6-Ply offered at $135 ($1,135 in 2016 dollars). Tire prices may not have been at the top of farmers’ minds at the time — a front-page story referred to a new illustrated government publication called

Our History

The Bredt Trophy

Our History: April 1961

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff May 25, 2016

This photo from our April 27, 1961 issue shows Tom Watson, president of the Elkhorn-Arawana Crop Improvement Club, receiving the Bredt Trophy from Manitoba Pool Elevators director G.G. Jamieson. The trophy was named in honour of Paul Bredt, MPE’s second president, who was credited with steering the company through the difficult times of the 1930s.

Our History

A struggling loonie puts up its dukes, sort of

Our History: May 1999

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff May 12, 2016

This cartoon in our May 13, 1999 issue poked fun at the apparent revival of the loonie toward the 70-cent U.S. mark, but it was to struggle some more, reaching an all-time low of 61.70 cents in January 2002. That issue reported the first in an extended period of drenched fields in the traditionally dry

Our History

Cockshutt horse-drawn disc and drag harrows

Our History: May 1927

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff May 5, 2016

The May 1927 issue of The Scoop Shovel also featured advertisements for tractors and automobiles, but horse-drawn implements were still featured, such as these Cockshutt disc and drag harrows. The issue featured extensive coverage of addresses to the International Wheat Pool conference in Kansas City, including speeches by the presidents of the three Prairie wheat

Our History

Retiring? Invest in the Manitoba Pool – but maybe not at today’s rates

Our History: May 1980

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff April 28, 2016

If you’re looking for retirement income today, you’ll look fondly at the 13.5 per cent on 10-year certificates offered by Manitoba Pool Elevators in May of 1980. At the end of 10 years, they’d be worth $3,548. If you invested at today’s GIC rates of around 2.5 per cent, $1,000 would become only $1,280 in

Our History

Subsidy troubles run the gamut

Our History: April 1990

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff April 21, 2016

This Agricultural Diversification Alliance ad from our April 26, 1990 issue invited farmers to support a plan to lock in the $720-million annual Crow benefit payment by having it converted to a 25-year annuity paid directly to Prairie farmers instead of to the railways. The ADA argued that removing the subsidy on export grain would

Daily Network News

Feds pause update on food from cloned livestock

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures end limit down

AAFC makes few changes to November S/D report

Our History

Hostile takeover bid for UGG launched

Mobile phones of yesteryear and crops reach a “desperate” stage

‘Bale as you combine,’ and the Virden Auction mart opens

Kirschmann Spra-Coupe, and wheat exports see a five-year low

Tire sales and the farmer’s guide to nuclear attack

The Bredt Trophy

A struggling loonie puts up its dukes, sort of

Cockshutt horse-drawn disc and drag harrows

Retiring? Invest in the Manitoba Pool – but maybe not at today’s rates

Subsidy troubles run the gamut

AgCanadaTV

AGCanadaTV: In case you missed it; your national ag news recap for Sept. 5, 2025

Cyber-Savvy Farmer

Latest Market News