Expectations for Ethics Term Paper DUE APRIL 9 4-6 page paper on some aspect of what you view as evidence of unethical behavior in agriculture or in your.

Expectations for Ethics Term Paper

DUE APRIL 9

4-6 page paper on some aspect of what you view as evidence of unethical behavior in agriculture or in your rural community.

If you are not from a farm or rural community you may chose one of the topics from Cochrane or from the other assigned readings, or from some other source.

Paper Outline

Illustration of some unethical behavior in farming, agriculture or rural life.

Define what you mean by ethics and why you feel this issue, event or practice is unethical?

Why do you define this action, issue, or event is unethical?

Ethics Help Define Who We Are and Describes our Culture

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

Expectations

• Describe an ethical issue in agriculture

• Provide a rationale for why this action/behavior or decision is or was unethical

• What are the consequences, how would you approach this decision?

• How could this have been decided or handled in a better way

Outline (continued) What can or should be done to

correct this problem? What remedies or solutions might

exist? What are the long term

implications if nothing is done? Who should take leadership in

raising ethical standards in agriculture, farming and rural life?

What is ethics anyway? Standards of conduct Standards that indicate how one

should behave based upon moral duties and virtues

Principals of right and wrong As a practical matter, ethics is about

how we meet the challenge of doing the right thing when that will cost more than we want to pay.

Aspects of Ethics

Ability to discern right from wrong, good and evil, propriety from impropriety

Commitment to do what is right, proper and good. Ethics entails action not just thoughts

What is meant by ethics? Helps us discern what is right or wrong Doing what the law requires Standards of behavior Doing what society expects

Standards of right and wrong that prescribe what people ought to do in terms of rights, benefits to society, fairness, etc

Standards of behavior that tell us how people ought to act in many situations in which they find themselves in

Utilitarian Approach The Rights Approach Fairness or Justice Common Good Virtue

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

What farmers told us I used to take a persons’ 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.

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

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 adults68 Local elected officials 70 Elected state officials 72

The Six Pillars of Character(Source: Josephson, Making Ethical Decisions)

Trustworthiness Honesty Truthfulness Sincerity Candor Honesty in conduct Integrity Relability

The Six Pillars of Character(Source: Josephson, Making Ethical Decisions)

Respect Civility, courtesy, and decency Dignity and autonomy Tolerance and acceptance

Responsibility Accountability Pursuit of Excellence Self Restraint

The Six Pillars of Character(Source: Josephson, Making Ethical Decisions)

Fairness Process Impartiality Equity

Caring

Citizenship

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”

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?”

6. The Des Moines Register Test, “Would you like your friends and neighbors to read about this?”

Four simple questions

1. Could you or someone else suffer physical harm?

2. Could you or someone else suffer emotional pain?

3. Could the decision hurt your reputation, undermine your credibility, or damage important relationships?

4. Could the decision impede the achievement of any important goal?

Seven Steps to Better Decisions

1. Stop and think2. Clarify goals3. Determine Facts4. Develop options5. Consider consequences6. Choose7. Monitor and modify

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

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 behaviors/actions

Symptoms of Distrust in Agriculture

Legal representation Formalized contracts Fear of Liability—liability insurance Less personal contact—fear of

strangers Formal communication Suspiciousness

What are some examples that display ethics or the lack of ethics

Slavery—it was legal, was it ethical Denying the rights of women to

own property or to vote Indian removal Navigation Acts Land expropriation

Contemporary examples Displacing a tenant for $5.00 acre more rent Calling upon the widow before her husband’s

funeral about renting her farm Encouraging over-application of fertilizer

because of incentives you will receive Trading in a tractor that you know has major

problems without disclosing to the dealer Failure to deliver on a promise

The Golden Rule “You act in a way that you

would expect others to act toward you” or “treat others as you would like to be treated”

Guides for Deciding If An Action is Ethical

Guides for Deciding If An Action is Ethical

Professional Ethic You take only those actions which

would be viewed as “proper” by an objective panel of your professional colleagues.

Guides for Deciding If An Action is Ethical

Kant’s Categorical Imperative Ask yourself, “ What if everyone

behaved this way?”

Guides for Deciding If An Action is Ethical

Child on Your Shoulders Test Would you proudly make the same

decision if your young child were witnessing your choice?

Guides for Deciding If An Action is Ethical

TV Test Could you explain and justify your

actions to a general television audience?

Have Ethics Changed?

Among farmers? Among people in your community? Among all Americans? Among youth and young adults?

Examples of Unethical Behavior

As a new employee in sales of an agribusiness firm you work hard to meet your quota, and sometimes this means that you encourage farmer-customers to buy more fertilizer than they actually need.

You observe a co-worker putting computer disks in his briefcase that you are certain he is planning on using to use for personal use.

What if it were a rubber band or paper clip, or what about borrowing the company car for personal use? Should these be treated the same?

As purebred livestock breeder, you sell someone stock that you know has some genetic defects, but you fail to points these defects?

Your niece who works at a bank calls you with some hot “inside information” about a proposed merger that could make you a handsome profit?

Because you have earned several frequent flyer miles on trips that your company paid for, you decide to use the discount to take a fishing trip instead of applying them to company business?

You observe a fellow colleague using the company computer during work hours to play computer games?

Other examples

Building a CAFO closer to your neighbor’s house than your house

Failure to follow recommended farming practices eg spreading manure on frozen ground, excessive tillage, over application of fertilizer, etc

Being aggressive in bidding up land rental rates

Not doing business with local cooperative or with other local businesses

What about layer batteries or sow crates—are they inhumane and unethical?

Is lying ever justified? Under what circumstances might

lying being the ethical thing to do?

Reasons Why People Act Unethically

It was necessary It was legal I did it for their benefit I was only fighting fire with fire It didn’t hurt anyone Everyone else is doing it I did not personally gain I deserved it

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten Robert Fulghum

Share everything Play fair Don’t hit people Put things back where you

found them Clean up your own mess Don’t take things that

aren’t yours Say you are sorry when

you hurt somebody Wash your hands before

you eat

Flush Warm cookies and cold

milk are good for you Live a balanced life--learn

some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday some

Take a nap every afternoon When you go out into the

world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten (continued)

Beware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the cup: the roots go down and plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are like that

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the styrofoam cup-they all die. So do we.

And then remember the Dick and Jane books and the first word you learned-- the biggest word of all--LOOK.