This is a “reality” assignment where you pose as a U.S. Senate staffer reporting to her/his boss on a controversial policy issue. You are a staff person working for a U.S. Senator who is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. There are “hot button” issues she/he must take a position on and she/he is as of now, undecided. She/he asks you to prepare a report on one of the issues, including a recommendation for the position she/he should take.

INSTRUCTIONS

Read and critique one of your colleagues’ reports.
A critique can include praise for content the reviewer agrees with, but it should also include some or all of the following:
1. an assessment of the effectiveness of an argument made with suggestions for improvement
2. an alternative interpretation of the meaning or significance of the point or points being made in the paper
3. a rebuttal argument taking a different position on an issue
4. any combination of the above
As always, opinions are welcome but are more valuable when supported with evidence from quality sources, including your own experience.
• APA format with citations, 100-200 words maximum.
• Read the question that your colleague had to answer and then read “colleague’s response”. The writer is “replying” to the “Colleague’s response” in support or challenge.
Assignment:
This is a “reality” assignment where you pose as a U.S. Senate staffer reporting to her/his boss on a controversial policy issue. You are a staff person working for a U.S. Senator who is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. There are “hot button” issues she/he must take a position on and she/he is as of now, undecided. She/he asks you to prepare a report on one of the issues, including a recommendation for the position she/he should take. Your job is to advise the Senator on how to vote, and to provide his/her with the arguments to support that vote. You can recommend “yes,” “no,” or an amendment he/she should sponsor.
Issue: Changing the standard for labeling a manufactured food product as “Made with Organic Ingredients.” The proposed changes are:
a. To reduce the percentage of the product that must be certified organic ingredients from 70% to 51%.
b. To eliminate the current provision that any non-organic agricultural ingredients used in producing the product must be produced without using any of “excluded” methods, including “Methods used to genetically modify organisms or influence their growth and development by means that are not possible under natural conditions or processes.”
Should your boss support either or both of these proposals?