New Book Examines History Of United Grain Growers

Nov 14, 2019

A Winnipeg author has recently published a book looking at The Rise and Fall of United Grain Growers.

Paul Earl says he's been working on the book since 2004.

"The book tells the story of the company from 1906, when it was formed, through to 2007 when it disappeared," he explained. "The last third of the book actually examines the business of why it was sold and what happened."

Earl talked about a highlight from the book.

"I think the biggest challenge was coming up to the 1990's, when the whole grain handling system had to be rebuilt because it was very much out of date. That's when they sold shares to raise the money and it was quite a successful move for them and quite an innovative move."

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.