Here we go again. A year ago in this space the forecast for 1998 included: “Debate will continue on world trade rules, Canadian Wheat Board marketing powers, income safety nets, global climate trends, genetic engineering, hog barns, the grain-handling system, rail-line closures, animal rights, rural services, agricultural input costs, and many other familiar subjects.”
And when the second millennium opens a year from now, the list could well be the same.
It would be an immense relief to many if closure could be achieved on at least one or two of these long-standing contentious issues. Unfortunately, the only closure happening these days seems to involve individual elevators.
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As frustrating as it may be at times, however, these seemingly never-ending debates have no realistic alternative.
Those long-simmering issues are crucial to the future of agriculture and farm families.
The animal rights and genetic engineering issues, for example, may be lower priority at the moment, but they could flare up. If the more extremist opponents of genetic engineering and the animal-rights zealots succeed in infecting the general public with their views, the livestock industry could be crippled and producers in all branches of agriculture could be denied much-needed technological advances.
But the issues are not merely important to agriculture’s future. They are also complex, involving many scientific and/or economic considerations as well as subjective values.
Thus, even where producers are virtually united, as in opposition to animal rights (not animal welfare), there are no simple or quick answers.
The rest of society also has an interest in such issues, and long-term educational efforts are needed to build social consensus. Where producers themselves are divided, resolution of an issue can be even more difficult.
Since the issues are too important to be left to the whim of the politician of the day, or to the biases of non-agricultural interest groups, or to the public’s ignorance of agricultural issues, that means farm organizations have to be committed to continuing long-term lobbying and educational efforts.
Regulatory and policy change may thus be slow and incremental, but it will be more likely to meet the needs of producers and their families.
That makes it all the more important for producers to work together through their producer associations, rather than dropping out because of impatience. Co-operation, dedication and patience can achieve progress – even if many 1999 headlines turn out to be similar to those of 1998.
