Combine beer (2)
To the Editor:
As a previous owner of a small rural newspaper and somewhat of a camera buff, I enjoyed and admired every photo featured in the 1998 CWB calendar.
As I have had my day with the printed page, I rarely if ever respond to other’s written opinions. However, the letter entitled “Combine beer” in the Sept. 18 WP especially disturbed me.
Although I do not drink or advocate alcohol, and not said with intent to brag or be smug, I wondered how three Labatt’s Lite beer bottles in a combine cab at harvest time justified a soap box? Perhaps three cases of the stuff sitting in a pick-up box or three whiskey bottles?
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During the two/three weeks the combines were operating in our fields, I questioned the safe, lethal daily consumption per person re Pepsi Cola.
But then I reminded myself, it’s harvest time, unusual, hectic, and hopefully short-lived. It is by no means the party time implied by Shelley Schlosser’s discovery of three beer bottles in a combine cab.
Who knows, maybe hidden to the camera’s eye in one of those heavy, high-carbohydrate farmer coolers, one might find drugs? (Aspirin and Rolaids anyway.)
So we have a picture of five farmers, two combines, a sizzling hot sun and those three hardly detectable empty beer bottles (and also three soda-pop bottles) – a little more realistic than the picture on the cover showing a Prairie farm family walking into the sunset, knee-deep in a bumper crop.
– Arlene Lois Martin,
Lanigan, Sask.
Slap in face
To the Editor:
Another slap in the farmer’s face on Sept. 4 issue of Western Producer – Farmer sues Canadian Wheat Board in retaliation for being put in jail for wanting freedom of choice as to where and who he sells his grain to.
All we want is freedom of choice to make the most from what he grows with his own sweat and blood. It’s very unfair that we in Canada have a dictator-type government that robs the farmers in the west and funds eastern sponges.
Why has it taken the influence of groups like Farmers for Justice and National Citizens Coalition backing those farmers already faced with lawsuits, to finally get the price of grain to where it is today?
How long can we expect this even though we are still under west-coast U.S. prices?
I encourage all who can to get behind Dave Bryan of Central Butte, Sask. in support for his case against CWB and their arrogant attitude.
Please join the Farmers for Justice group and make a stand. It’s your future as well as mine and our children.
Write CWB officials, Prime Minister ChrŽtien, Goodale, your MLA, etc.
– Ralph Lickiss,
Taber, Alta.
Food safety
To the Editor:
As a consumer, a farmer and a director on the Canadian Farm Business Management Council, I am very aware of the relevance and importance of the Hazard Analyses Critical Control Point.
The main goal is to keep the food safe as it goes from the farm to the table.
On the farm, food safety is important to each one of us, as producers and consumers. Over the past decade, food safety has emerged as one of the top consumer concerns. It is also a priority for governments and the agri-food industries in Canada and around the world.
Canadian farmers are meeting the food safety challenge and facing the industry by developing new codes of practice (organic farming). They are working with their industry partners and with governments to implement new gate to plate, farm to table approaches to food and to food safety.
The reason for on-farm food safety is because of how fast word travels around the world. Consumers half a world apart react strongly to food safety problems, whether real or perceived. Markets quickly reflect the changes in consumers’ demand for particular products.
A few cases of food poisoning can tarnish a whole country’s reputation. …
To keep our food and reputation safe, we must know what the safety hazards are.
There are physical, chemical and biological hazards that can pass from our farms into the food chain. Some of the obvious hazards are things like the tip of a needle breaking off during a vaccination and staying in the muscle. Others are more discreet and even invisible, such as naturally occurring bacteria and antibiotic residue.
– Rolf Hadland,
Weldon, Sask.
Right on
To the Editor:
Regarding Mr. Philip Lindenback’s letter in the Sept. 11 paper, I would like to say, right on! The only place he loses me is the last, single line, “Common sense will yet prevail!”
Since when? The trouble with common sense is, it isn’t all that common.
Common sense says that we need an effective opposition in Regina.
What do we get? Fence-jumping crybabies who’ll show no more loyalty to their new supporters than they did to the ones who voted them in.
I think – I hope – that the people will show some of this sense in the next election, and there won’t be enough of these clowns left for seed.
People have the right to change their minds and new thoughts lead to new loyalties, but this is a bit much. Political parties evolve – for instance, what would T. C. Douglas have to say about VLTs?
But this slap-dash amalgamation is more of an “abortion” than even a “miscarriage.”
No, you can “bloody well count me out” too!
– J. Richard Pope,
Eston, Sask.
Road safety
To the Editor:
SGI announcing drastic auto insurance rate increases along with unreasonable options is very disturbing.
A reason given is coping with inflation, but nothing as to the cause or attempts to halt and reverse inflation. Inflation is destroying democracy! Furthermore, increased semi traffic doesn’t help. …
The anti-liquor drinking and driving campaigns are effective. Sadly, speeding continues. Considering the shortage of police college graduates monitoring speeding, it has been suggested others be authorized to photo radar monitor speeding passers and ticket only the drivers. …
The Western Producer of July 13, 1995, stated that according to the government traffic safety committee, half the auto accidents are related to wildlife. …
We are told wildlife is government property and that no one can sue to recover losses related to wildlife. Government policies are determined by those the governments respect.
It is obvious wildlife groups influence governments.
If that were not so, wildlife groups would be held legally responsible for all crop losses and auto accidents involving wildlife.
Failing that, such wildlife numbers must be reduced to numbers where they won’t cause any loss! Anything less is deliberate abusive exploitation of auto owners and farmers.
– Stuart Makaroff,
Saskatoon, Sask.
