Trudeau asks, “Why should I sell your wheat?”

Trudeau asks, “Why should I sell your wheat?”

Our History: October 2000

The editorial in our October 5, 2000 issue noted the passing of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, who had often been criticized for his quote from a 1968 meeting in Winnipeg when he said, “Why should I sell your wheat?” We carried the full text which followed that statement just after he was elected, which

Delco-Light generator can power your farm

Delco-Light generator can power your farm

Our History: September 1927

The Delco-Light generator advertised in the September 1927 issue of The Scoop Shovel could provide light for buildings and power for the separator, grinder, pump or saw for only a few cents per day. In a lengthy article, Manitoba Wheat Pool manager R.M. Mahoney discussed grain grading, a subject on which he said, “I have


‘Get ahead’ with Pool hybrid pigs

‘Get ahead’ with Pool hybrid pigs

Our History: September 1969

Pool hybrid pigs advertised in our Sept. 25, 1969 issue were said to yield well and bring good returns, with one customer reporting a sale of 100 animals with an average return of $60.22 and a total of $126 in premiums. Our main front-page story was on a Food and Agricultural Organization report which suggested

New grain type yields high in farm field test

New grain type yields high in farm field test

Our History: September 1961

Our Sept. 7, 1961 issue reported on “high productivity and drought resistance” on a new “synthetic grain species” developed at the University of Manitoba. The cross between durum wheat and rye, later named triticale, had been grown on 35 acres on the farm of A.V. Arnott at Darlingford, and it was estimated it would yield


Drought year predicts high crop insurance payouts

Drought year predicts high crop insurance payouts

Our History: September 1980

Effects of the drought-stricken crop of 1980 dominated the front page of our September 11, 1980 issue. Manitoba Crop Insurance anticipated a possible payout of $100 million, its highest on record. Crops farther west had suffered less than in Manitoba, and Statistics Canada was forecasting a larger Prairie wheat crop than the previous year, but

‘We’re not ready for Roundup Ready wheat’

‘We’re not ready for Roundup Ready wheat’

Our History: August 2003

In the early 2000s, Monsanto had developed Roundup Ready wheat and had established variety trials in Western Canada, but its proposed licensing attracted strong opposition, as evidenced by this ad in our July 24, 2003 issue. The Canadian Wheat Board had warned that export customers could refuse any wheat contaminated with genetically modified varieties, a


Milking on the Barnardo farm

Milking on the Barnardo farm

Our History: August 1891

The front page of the August 1891 issue of The Nor-West Farmer, And Miller featured this engraving of milking on Dr. Barnardo’s farm near Russell. Dr. Barnardo was founder of a controversial British organization to help destitute or orphan boys by sending them to work on farms in Canada, but was later seen as a



Wheat Board has bad news for grain producers

Our History: August 1998

With BSE still to appear in Canada in August 1998, it may not have been realized just how important our Aug. 13 front-page story would be. Former Canadian Cattlemen’s Association general manager told his annual meeting in Edmonton about the new project to develop a national cattle identification program. There was little good news for

‘Get more beets, cleaner beets!’

‘Get more beets, cleaner beets!’

Our History: August 1963

This ad from our August 8, 1963 issue reminds of when Manitoba had an active sugar industry. And when you dropped in to see the new Farmhand multiple-row beet harvester, you could also check out an Owatonna windrower. We reported that despite heavy losses from drought and rust, Manitoba’s wheat crop could reach 70 million