Cereal Implements, first in self-propelled swathers

Cereal Implements, first in self-propelled swathers

Our History: August 1986

Canadian Co-operative Implements Ltd. (CCIL) started in 1940 as a co-op to market equipment and later manufacture its own. In 1973, CCIL built a large plant in Winnipeg to manufacture combines, swathers, discers, cultivators, harrows and other equipment. The decision turned out to be a poor one for the company, and it struggled for several


Capture more profit by feeding cattle to finish

Capture more profit by feeding cattle to finish

Our History: August 1983

The Manitoba Beef Commission, a marketing agency established by the NDP government in the late 1970s, ran this ad in our August 18, 1983 issue. It encouraged cattle producers to capture more profit by feeding their animals to finish, and offered marketing assistance plus financing assistance through MACC. The Manitoba Cattle Producers Association and the

Mosquitoes develop resistance to DDT

Mosquitoes develop resistance to DDT

Our History: August 1952

We’re not certain whether the “Big Stinky” fly trap advertised in our Aug. 7, 1952 issue lived up to its claims, but we hope the bottles of fluid were well packed when being mailed from Toronto. The ad was below a story which said that while some mosquitoes in the U.S. had developed resistance to


United Farmers of Manitoba wins the election

United Farmers of Manitoba wins the election

Our History: July 1927

Last week the Manitoba government announced that PTH 10 from the U.S. border to Riding Mountain had been renamed in honour of John Bracken, premier from 1922 to 1943 and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1942-48. Bracken had been a professor of animal husbandry in Saskatchewan and principal of the Manitoba

A reaper and thresher in one machine?

A reaper and thresher in one machine?

Our History: July 1927

The July 1927 issue of The Grain Growers’ Guide featured some ads for a new concept in harvesting — combining the reaping and threshing in a single machine. Below this ad for the Massey-Harris version was another ad for a more questionable product, the “wonderful new Vapour Humidifier and Gas Saver,” which purported to increase


A mail-in coupon for bale stooker “particulars”

A mail-in coupon for bale stooker “particulars”

Our History: July 1967

This ad for the Williamson bale stooker in our July 13, 1967 issue reminds that it used to be that if you wanted “particulars” on a piece of equipment, you had to phone or write rather than visit the company’s website. Our main story that week described Manitoba’s crop conditions as a “hodgepodge.” Crops were

‘Never worry about grain loss’ and supply management for eggs

‘Never worry about grain loss’ and supply management for eggs

Our History: August 1976

Supply management was top of mind in the August 5, 1976 issue, which lays out details of a hard-fought federal-provincial agreement to transfer control over egg marketing to the Canadian Egg Marketing Agency (CEMA). But getting the last two provincial holdouts — Manitoba and Saskatchewan — to relinquish control required a compromise. Manitoba’s Agriculture Minister


Hostile takeover bid for UGG launched

Hostile takeover bid for UGG launched

Our History: July 1997

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

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

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

Our History: June 1961

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