Applied Ethics in Agriculture Sociology/Economics 362

1. Applied Ethics in AgricultureSociology/Economics 362 Paul Lasley and Arne Hallam Fall 2012

2. “Character is not the same thing as reputation. Character is what you are. Reputation is what people say you are.” Josephson, 2002

3. How do you decide what to do? • Is it good or bad? • Right or wrong? • Important or not important? • Fair or unfair? • Something that brings honor or disgrace? • Hurts or helps others?

4. Where did you learn these values about: • Good or bad • Right or wrong • Important or not important • Fair or unfair • Honor or disgrace • Hurts or helps others

5. Sources of values • Parents • Friends • Colleagues • Church/religion • School • Organizations or clubs • Others

6. Ethics: • Refers to principles that define behavior as right, good and proper • Are about putting principles into action Josephson, 2002

7. Ethics • ethics refers to well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues. • ethics refers to the study and development of one's ethical standards. http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/whatisethics.html

8. ….feelings, laws, and social norms can deviate from what is ethical. So it is necessary to constantly examine one's standards to ensure that they are reasonable and well-founded. Ethics also means, then, the continuous effort of studying our own moral beliefs and our moral conduct, and striving to ensure that we, and the institutions we help to shape, live up to standards that are reasonable and solidly-based. http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/whatisethics.html

9. Many moral philosophers, social scientists, theologians and others have addressed the nature of human nature • One view is that humans in their natural state are hedonistic, selfish, uncaring, greedy, etc and rules/laws are needed to rein in our natural propensities • Second view is that humans are generally good and should be left unfettered, that good will emerge from their individual decisions.

10. Naturally GOOD or Naturally BAD This is the Nature vs Nurture debate In this course we will examine major ethical perspectives. Each of these perspectives offers insights into what people view as ethical and how it shapes their decisions and actions

11. In a study of farm cooperatives we found several instances of ethical lapses: Shirking responsibilities Business dealings with friends, relatives, or competitors Sales incentives Pricing policies Illegal Practices

12. Reasons given for unethical behavior Extreme pressure to show a profit No board oversight on management Too much competition that it is unhealthy Business is too complex for a lay board Fewer farmers, greater business, more incentive to retain them as members Young farmers lack appreciation of cooperatives Tough economic times on the farm contributed to erosion in ethical standards.

13. Do you suppose that farmers agree that ethics have declined among farmers? Can you provide examples?

14. What Iowa Farmers Told Us(2002 Farm Poll, n=1942)‏ At one time a person’s word was as good as a signed contract; now you must get it in writing. 93% somewhat or strongly agreed In general, ethical standards in society have declined. 87% agreed

15. What farmers told us I used to take a person’s word as measure of his/her honor, but now-a-days you can’t always simply accept what a person tells you. 85% agreed. One reason ethical standards have declined is that people have lost respect for authority. 70% agreed Often people admit they are not being ethical in paying the full amount of their taxes. 49% agreed.

16. What farmers told us Even among friends and neighbors, I am concerned that they no longer feel obliged to honor their word. 37% agreed Farmer’s ethical standards have declined. 57% agreed

17. The widespread decline Where are ethical lapses most recognized?

18. How have ethics changed? % Decline in past 10 years Clergy 24% Neighbors 31 Local Merchants 36 Local Agribusiness 37 Lenders 41 Farmers 45 Youth and young adults 68 Local elected officials 70 Elected state officials 72

19. Some guides to determine if an action is ethical 1. The Golden Rule, “You act in a way that you would expect others to act toward you” 2. The Professional Ethic, “You take only those actions that would be viewed as proper by an objective panel of your professional peers”

20. 3. Kant's Categorical Imperative, “Ask yourself, “what if everyone behaved this way?” 4. Child on Your Shoulder, “Would you proudly make the same decision if your young child were witnessing your choice?” 5. TV Test, Could you explain and justify your actions to general television audience?” Some guides to determine if an action is ethical

21. Some guides to determine if an action is ethical 6. The Des Moines Register Test, “Would you like your friends and neighbors to read about this?” 7. The How will it Affect Me Test. “What does it do for me? What does it do to me? “What will I think of myself?”

22. Four simple questions Could you or someone else suffer physical harm? Could you or someone else suffer emotional pain? Could the decision hurt your reputation, undermine your credibility, or damage important relationships? Could the decision impede the achievement of any important goal?

23. What happens when there is not adherence to a code of ethics? People begin to “cut corners” Most unethical and illegal activities start small Rationale or justifications often include, everyone else is doing it Erosion in ethics brings about greater regulation because trust has been violated Rules, regulations and laws reflect the formalization of ethics

24. Erosion in Ethics=Distrustful Culture Where people no longer trust each other Where extreme individualism is primary Where people no longer know each other With diminished respect, trust and cooperation, there are calls for regulations to monitor or regulate behaviours/actions

25. Symptoms of Distrust in Agriculture Legal representation Formalized contracts Fear of Liability—liability insurance Less personal contact—fear of strangers Formal communication Suspiciousness

26. Need to Emphasize Ethics in Farming What would a professional code of ethics in farming look like? Who should take the lead in drafting such a document, and how it could be used?

27. The Need for a Code of Ethics in Farming Evidence is there has been an erosion in ethics The erosion in ethics has contributed to loss of trust, and consumer confidence, and calls for more regulations. A code of ethics might restore confidence and farming could be viewed a leader in pursuing higher ethical standard.

28. CHALLENGE How can agricultural producers begin to develop a code of ethics that would define professionalfarmers and agribusiness. As future leaders in agriculture, the life sciences, and business we hope this course will contribute to your ability to make ethical decisions.

29. Let’s get started