Mark Winfield of the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy is correct in suggesting that farmers are choosing to grow genetically enhanced crops in increasing numbers (Farmers pay for GMO oversight, WP, Sept. 16).
But to suggest that farmers are dependent on a single technology is erroneous. Before choosing genetically enhanced seeds, farmers carefully evaluate specific products, and choose them on the basis of the advantages they offer to producers, to consumers and/or to the environment.
No farmer is compelled to choose any of these products – conventional varieties are readily available. That more and more farmers are choosing genetically enhanced seed is an indication of our recognition of the real and significant benefits they offer.
Read Also
Invigor Gold variety viewed as threat to condiment mustard
Invigor Gold, the canola-quality mustard developed by BASF, is on a collision course with Canada’s condiment mustard industry. It’s difficult to see how the two can co-exist.
Among those benefits are reduced use of pesticides, improved crop quality and food safety, enhanced production efficiencies and lowered crop input costs. Expected benefits in the future include the ability to produce foods that provide increased nutritional content or fight disease, as well as crops that grow better under less than ideal conditions.
Any risks associated with the new products are carefully evaluated before they are approved for use, through several years of rigorous testing and evaluation, including potential risks to the environment and to human and animal health.
Groups such as Winfield’s have been working very hard to convince the public to reject genetically enhanced foods. If their efforts are successful, we will all pay – not just farmers, but consumers as well, as we lose out on the benefits the technology has to offer.
– Jim Fischer,
Chair, AgCare,
Guelph, Ont.
Can’t shut down
To the Editor:
While operating various pieces of equipment this year, I have logged hundreds of hours listening to our local radio station GX 94 and CBC.
On both of these stations they have dedicated substantial air time to the flooding in the south, drought in the north, as well as grain prices locally and worldwide. There have been some good and some not so good solutions to our problems. There have been as many solutions as there have been individuals interviewed.
But one problem comes to my mind that I have not heard anything about. If I don’t seed my crops by mid-June at the latest, I have lost an entire crop year. What’s the significance of this? This is the only industry that I can think of that cannot shut down for two or three months, and when prices come back up, go back and start to produce a product.
For example, an oil company is losing money on oil and natural gas. They can shut down the well by closing the valve or shutting off the power.
The oil and gas are still there in the ground waiting for them when the price recovers anytime at a later date. All they have to do is open the valve and/or turn on the power and they are back producing the product.
It is the same in the forestry industry, automotive and clothing factories. The companies start to lose money, they shut down, lay the employees off. The employees apply for Employment Insurance and still receive some income. …
On my farm I cannot decide to seed my crop in October or August. I have to wait until the next spring to seed. Then I have to seed in the spring and wait until August to receive any product to sell.
If you have followed this, it means that I have gone over one year with no income and no ability to make any.
These are my thoughts. I hope they have stimulated some new thoughts in people’s minds about this problem.
– David W. Hamilton,
Sturgis, Sask.
Rural vote astray?
To the Editor:
Boy, what an assignment for the government. The opposition parties want money in the hands of farmers immediately, more money into roads, health, and education and a tax cut. Oh yes, and the Liberal leader is going to make sure that we don’t have a deficit budget.
Not so the Saskatchewan Party. In true Tory form, that doesn’t matter. I was shocked and amazed that so many Saskatch-ewan voters were prepared to increase our debt so they could have their goodies now. To hell with our children and grandchildren having to bear the burden.
They must believe in the tooth fairy or pennies from heaven if they think all that can be accomplished without a deficit.
The Saskatchewan Party’s main platform goodie was reduced taxes. I was also very surprised that the rural voters went for it. When farmers are crying that they are in such dire straits, and I realize that grain prices are a serious problem, then I can’t imagine that reducing the income tax is of much concern. If it is, then we are being led astray.
I think Saskatchewan is the best province in Canada. No province can match us for health care, we have the lowest rate of unemployment, an excellent education system, and if grain and oil prices were where they should be, we would be on top of the world. Too few recognize what we have, and prefer to complain….
We find that it is many years since the electorate hasn’t turfed the governing party out after two terms in office. They didn’t quite make it this time, and we still have Romanow, a premier of national stature. The NDP are being blamed for low grain and oil prices, which also affected provincial revenues. Of course, they make mistakes too, but what they have done with what they inherited is amazing and it is time for people to recognize what we have and pull together to keep this a great province.
– Allene Douglas,
Eatonia, Sask.
Lesser pay
To the Editor:
In the early 1900s my grandfather did custom seeding for farmers. The seed was carried in a sling around the waist and broadcast by hand.
This early method of seeding required much skill in order to get an even crop with no spots missed or any overlapped parts.
When it came time to collect his wages for the previously agreed amount of money the landowners would often offer much less as a quick settlement and my grandfather, who had a family of 11 to take care of, would be forced to settle for the lesser amount. …
Perhaps this could be used in the matter of pay equity for female workers in the North West Territories. The deal has been reached in the courts, yet the government is trying to welch on it and reach private settlements with each of the workers – many of whom badly need money and feel forced to take what they can get right away even if it’s a lot less – just the same as my grandfather. …
Henry Smith,
Hay River, N.W.T.
