The Rural Voice, 1999-02, Page 7packers to the farmers would not be
expensive in relation to the benefits
gained through survival of the entire
industry.
Support of the foregoing proposal
would result in minimal dollar cost to
the government and at the same time
would bring an end to the economic
sabotage of this segment of the
agricultural industry.
I feel sorry for young farm
families, in many cases idealists, who
love farming and farm life and who
supply the population with low cost
and healthful food.
I am a former hog farmer, now 75
years old. My hog barns have been
empty for three years. Perhaps my
stoppage of production may be of
little help for this sick industry. I
hope many volunteers, like myself,
find another or better idea to create a
solution for this problem.0
Ernst Bayer
Mitchell
Playing with numbers
In Robert Mercer's January
column I find another case of
translating statistics to prove
something he seems to believe in.
Using the James Walsh Lifetime risk
of dying table comparing death rates
from smoking and car accidents with
pesticide poisonings makes it obvious
that the one in 200,000 risk of dying
from pesticides is rated as acute
pesticide poisoning.
With the hundreds of different
pesticides used it is almost
impossible to pinpoint the exact
cause of death, but there is no doubt
about motor accidents or nicotine -
related deaths!
As far as the Health Canada
Poison Control statistic is concerned
it looks a lot more issue oriented. It
would definitely not substantiate the
"lifetime risk of dying" tabulation!
By the way, what is a "voluntary
suicide"? I thought that all suicides
are premeditated, voluntary actions,
and are not all accidents involuntary?
Mercer's classification there sure has
me stumped!
As far as the caffeine comparison
is concerned, what percentage of our
nutritional intake is in liquid form?
Again, with numerous different
pesticides used in our basic food
items we are bombarded by
Feedback
chemicals from all possible
concoctions. With increasing
numbers of people being diagnosed
as having Environmental Immune
Deficiency physicians in many cases
advise patients to switch entirely to
organically grown food. I have
gained a number of new customers
for that reason.
Let's not be misguided by studies
from institutes connected with the
chemical industry! Independent
bodies like the Ontario Taskforce on
Primary Prevention of Cancer in their
1995 report list ethylene oxide as a
probable human carcinogen (causing
cancer) and amitrole, atrazine,
dichlorvos and lindane as possible
human carcinogens. All these are
either herbicides or insecticides and
are still in use.
We have to be very careful with
what we eat! Our food supply is not
as safe as it is made out to be!O
S. (Ziggy) Kleinau
Lion's Head
BLJ/LDERS LTD
Design Ba.milders
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FEBRUARY 1999 3