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The Rural Voice, 1982-06, Page 4The Rural VOICE Advertising Copy Deadline for the next issue JUNE 3 For details on Rates and Data Call: 335-6118 or 529-7610 the ruralVoice The magazine for the whole farm family TO SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW: 1 year $5.00 a CI new 0 Payment subscription enclosed ❑ renewal 0 Bill me 3 3333 Mall to: THE RURAL VOICE, P.O. Box 10, Blyth, Ontario, NOM 140 PG. 4 THE RURAL VOICE/JUNE 1982 LETTERS Letter to columnist Adrain Vos I have read your articles with interest and have appreciated what you say and therefore what you must stand for. The main purpose of writing to you though is to respond to the question you raised in a recent article in The Rural Voice. Your article raised a question concerning an equitable system and it started to make me do some reflecting about it. The following is the result of this reflecting. An equitable system is only possible when equality is included in the decision making within the system. An equitable system therefore is dependant upon each person's pursuit of equality in his decision making. One only needs to think of the multiplicity of decisions that are made each day by individuals or groups to realize how difficult a truly equitable system may be. A problem in developing an equitable system is the scope of each person's or group's equality - mindedness. For example. do turkey producers really desire to be somewhat equal to beef producers in terms of respectability and income? Do teachers negotiate their salaries on the basis of the median incomes and lifestyles of the hog farmers? When the dairy farmers are awarded an increase in the price of their milk is it awarded with an attention to the ability of the consumer to pay? Was the Stelco steel worker's new contract settled on the basis of what the average farmer can pay for a new tractor? I believe most of us would agree that equality -mindedness simply doesn't extend that far and hence we muddle around in a system that is continuously operating in a selfish - oriented concept. 1 believe that most of us really fear equality because we all know that true equality possibly means a simpler life - fewer dollars - a kind of life that most of us simply choose not to want. and hence for the most part we are not at all working for equality, but rather inequality. An equitable system may become a reality when any single producer or a group of producers stop to ponder what effect he or they will have on the total sector of their aspect of the economy when considering a major expansion. A hog producer who expands from a 100 sow enterprise to a 200 sow enterprise surely is intelligent enough to realize that he is going to corner more of the market and leave that much less room for someone else. How can we possibly build an equitable system with farmer and consumer? There's an even larger equitable system -- the global system. Some build for an equitable system only to the end of their driveways, others to the ends of the earth. How effective and to what extent we wish to build an equitable system depends on how carefully and to what great detail we consider equality in every decision we make. I am hopeful that we can make some tough decisions and begin creating a much better equitable system in our total society but then I also realize that the cost may simply be too great. The cost will be to individually and collectively set our selfishness aside. Allan Koch Middle of the road approach needed 1 am writing in regards to Adrian Vos article on Animal Welfare. It is encour- aging to see people taking a concern for the welfare of animals, however, I feel the article would have been more beneficial had a more middle of the road approach been taken. At this point we are attempting to form a branch of the Ontario Humane Society in Huron County and have been approved. The only thing lacking is the funds. In attempts to have people pledge their support a major stumbling block has been that many persons, particularly farmers, feel that the Humane Society is the type of organization mentioned in your article. I agree completely that these groups of people mentioned in the article are fanatical and in some cases, obviously, don't know what is good for the animals ie. more chickens in larger cages. Here, in Canada, however at this time our problems have not reached that point and really tend to lean the other way. Animals are in need of protection from real cruelty such as starving, overcrowding etc. Dianne Foster RR 6 Goderich We are always anxious to know what readers think of our magazine and the columns, features and news items in it. If you have something to say, send your comments to the address below. Letters should be concise, and signed. Because of space limitations we reserve the right to edit. The Rural Voice, Box 10, Blyth, Ont.