LETTERS

Where's the pork?

I went to the State Fair this year, and was surprised to find no exhibits by our new neighbors, the corporate hog factories. I was looking forward to seeing one of their state-of-the-art farrowing crates, if not one of their progressive open-air cesspools. I should think they would want to show off a little, unless they are afraid someone will steal their technology.

Damn. I was disappointed! Jane Alexander

Chicago

Kudos for exposing fallacies about farming

As a lifelong farmer, it was refreshing to read "Betting on the farm" (see September, page 14). Harold Henderson and Illinois Issues are to be commended for exposing the fallacies of The Last Harvest: The Genetic Gamble That Threatens to Destroy American Agriculture.

World hunger will be caused more. by political decisions than the lack of ability to produce the food for an increasing population. Those who stand in the way or limit the research necessary to develop improved production technology will do more to cause world hunger than any new technology, population increase or increased prosperity in developing countries.

I often wonder if people like Paul Raeburn, Lester Brown and the vice president ever think about the harm their words can cause. The first genetically engineered vaccine for a Herpes virus in livestock was delayed for several months for no scientific reason because of political arrogance. Let the private enterprise system function, encourage public and private research and the food will be available for a more populated and prosperous world.

Philip E. Bradshaw, past chairman

Secretary's Advisory Committee on

Foreign Animal & Poultry Diseases

Griggsville

No extreme Democrats?

Two points about Jennifer Halperin's August column (see page 6).

First, the only contemporary politician cited as "ideologically extreme" is Newt Gingrich. Are there no ideologically extreme Democrats?

Second, I sincerely hope that Professor Ginsberg was misquoted when he referred to Richard Nixon as a former governor of California. Nixon ran for governor in 1962, but lost.

Dennis Brennen

Palatine

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40 ¦ October 1996 Illinois Issues