SASKATOON — This week The Western Producer turns 100. It goes without saying that this is quite a milestone and this week’s paper kicks off 52 weeks of celebrating this achievement.
Each year, there are farms across the Prairies that also celebrate a centennial. And each of those family farms that have been passed down, owe much of their success to the hard work of the previous generations.
Despite the odds and challenges these early farmers faced, they were able to carve out a living to give the next generation a chance to fulfil their dreams.
By doing that, those farmers left a legacy, which is why they are so proud of their family’s name. To show their gratitude and to honour that legacy, you often will see that name etched in a large stone or on a sign at the end of the lane.
Just like those 100-year-old farms, The Western Producer owes its longevity and success to the farmers who supported us in the past. Without them, we would not be in business today.
That’s why each week at The Western Producer, we act in service of farmers and are proud to be a publication that you continue to turn to for news, analysis, classifieds, market information and to make connections with each other and with all of your suppliers.
We value the trust that farmers have in us and we don’t take that trust for granted. We try each day to make sure that we bring something to the table. We try to be an asset to your farm operation and we hope that we can help each member of your farm family in some small way. That’s our goal, whether we are providing information in print or online, through our supplements or our social media channels.
If the early subscribers to The Western Producer were still alive today, they could not comprehend the speed and level of change in the last 100 years. If they could somehow read a recent issue of the WP, they would be blown away by all the advancements that have occurred in the last 100 years.
For example, the large four-wheel drive tractors are not only pulling machines, they have more technology and computing power than the space shuttles had 40 years ago. The modern combine with its straight-cut header would be a complete wonder. Fertilizer, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides would be another marvel. The round baler — what the heck is that? And I haven’t even mentioned biotech, genetics and the market information that is available each week for crops and livestock.
Despite that rather short but distinguished list, the speed of change will continue. It has to. Each day, there are another 200,000 mouths to feed across the globe. That means each acre that is seeded or is in pasture or hay, will have to be more productive.
Ag companies, no matter what aspect of the business they are in, will have to provide you with the tools necessary to help feed a hungry world. They have always done so, but the tools have greatly changed.
Ultimately, however, the monumental task of feeding the world falls to farmers.
And we will be here for the ride and will do our best to provide you with unbiased information that will help you make better decisions for your farm operation.
The ag industry is a great business to be in and that is because of the people — farmers like you — who make the world a better place.
So thank you.
All the best to you and your family during this busy harvest season.
Cory Bourdeaud’hui, Publisher, The Western Producer
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