Farm, Grain, Mill, Fish
Saskatchewan Wheat Pool
2 pictures · 1966
- Founded
- 1923 (Saskatchewan Co-operative Wheat Producers Ltd.); renamed Saskatchewan Wheat Pool 1953
- Head office then
- Regina, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Wheat Pool was a farmer cooperative, started in 1923, that bought grain, ran elevators across the province, and shipped through Thunder Bay and Vancouver. It sold farm supplies and published The Western Producer.
For decades it was Canada’s largest grain handler. The elevator was the landmark of prairie towns.
Why it mattered
The Pool was Saskatchewan's largest farmer organization and, for decades, Canada's leading grain handler. In 1986 The Canadian Encyclopedia ranked it 50th among Canadian corporations, with sales of $1.7 billion, 3,513 employees, and 70,000 farmer-members. Its elevators were the landmark of prairie towns.
Now
The Pool listed shares and stopped being a cooperative in 1996. In 2007 it became Viterra. Glencore bought Viterra in 2012. The Viterra-Bunge merger closed on 2 July 2025.
Still open
- The Canadian Encyclopedia text says the Pool 'prevailed in May 2006' in the Agricore bid; contemporaneous coverage and the Viterra launch date are 2007. 2007 used here.
Sources
The pictures
- Saskatchewan Wheat Pool 1966 — annual reportarchive.org/details/Sask2703_1966
- Saskatchewan Wheat Pool 1966 — annual reportarchive.org/details/Sask2703_1966
References
- The Canadian Encyclopedia: Saskatchewan Wheat Poolfounding, 1996 demutualization, 2007 Agricore / Viterra
- Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Wheat Poolincorporation 25 August 1923; renamed 1953; Regina head office
- Glencore: completes acquisition of Viterra, 17 December 2012fate: Glencore acquired Viterra 17 Dec 2012
- Glencore: Closing of Viterra/Bunge Merger (2025)fate: Viterra–Bunge merger closed 2 July 2025
- Bunge / Viterra: merger announcement, 13 June 2023agreement for Bunge–Viterra combination