Traverse City Record-Eagle

Opinion

January 31, 2012

Letters to the Editor: 01/31/2012

----

Learn about migrants

Eating fresh produce and enjoying award-winning local wines are two of the many wonderful characteristics of this area of northern Michigan. But what would happen if there are no workers to pick the crops, prune the vineyards or work in the processing plants?

The Leelanau Unit of the League of Women Voters has just completed a year-long study of the Agricultural Migrant Worker Visa Process.

The committee's intent was to "study past, current and proposed employment methods and work visa programs used by agricultural employers in our area."

On Wednesday, Feb. 1, at noon, the study committee will present its findings to the public at the Leelanau County Government Center off M-204 near Lake Leelanau.

People who work in the fields labor in the hot sun.

When the harvest is ready, work may go late into the evenings and on weekends and holidays. Michigan workers won't take these jobs.

Some local crops aren't being planted in anticipation of not having enough labor to pick the produce.

Come to the League meeting on Feb. 1 to learn more.

Vina Mikesell

Northport

The writer is chair of the Leelanau Unit, League of Women Voters Grand Traverse Area

Research effects of DES

I'm disappointed the Record-Eagle failed to report on the historic lawsuit decision in Boston. Fifty-three women who are Daughters of DES filed suit against drug companies who promoted DES (Diethystilbestrol) for pregnant women from 1940 to the 1970s.

On Jan. 19 federal court Judge Marianne B. Bowler, Boston, denied a motion made by Bristol-Myers Squibb to exclude testimony of the plaintiff's experts. Both sides agreed to settle the case out of court. This is the first lawsuit in history for Daughters of DES who have or have had breast cancer due to DES.

The drug companies were aware in 1940 that this drug caused cancers in female offspring of the pregnant women given the drug. Yet they continued to promote it as a "Wonder Drug," Daughters of DES over the age of 40 have an 80 percent higher chance of getting breast cancer. Over 10 million people have been affected by DES.

I would suggest anyone affected by this drug research the effects of this drug and inform your physician that you have been exposed to DES. The Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov), National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov) and DESAction (desaction.org) web sites are excellent resources for information about DES.

Jeanette Dunigan

Traverse City

Text Only