GRE®® Argument 10

[Csdlw]

The following appeared in a letter to the editor of a Batavia newspaper.

"The department of agriculture in Batavia reports that the number of dairy farms throughout the country is now 25 percent greater than it was 10 years ago. During this same time period, however, the price of milk at the local Excello Food Market has increased from $1.50 to over $3.00 per gallon. To prevent farmers from continuing to receive excessive profits on an apparently increased supply of milk, the Batavia government should begin to regulate retail milk prices. Such regulation is necessary to ensure both lower prices and an adequate supply of milk for consumers."

In this argument, the author claims that in Batavia regulation of milk prices is needed to ensure milk's lower prices and sufficient supply. To support the claim, the author provides a national statistics about the number of dairy farms. The author also cites the evidence to indicate that the prices of milk have greatly increased. However, close security reveals that the argument contains some flaws and is unconvincing.

First of all, the author unfairly assumes that the national statistics about the number of dairy farms apply equally in Batavia. Yet, this might not be the case. It is possible that dairy farms number does not increase, or even decrease for a variety of reasons in Batavia, such as the uncomfortable climate, the bad condition of soil and some economic and political problems. Moreover, the author fails to consider the possibility that the national statistics offered might account to an aberration, and in other years the number of dairy farms is low. The author also fails to consider that the increase of farm's number is not a sufficient evidence to prove that the supply of milk also increase, because the output of each dairy farm may decrease at the same time. Unless the author verifies these possibilities are impossible, the author cannot confidently draw the conclusion that the number of farms in B and the supply of milk have increased.

Secondly, even though the supply of milk is excessive, the author fails to assure me that the prices of milk in Batavia have largely increased according to the price condition of the local Excello Food Market. Yet, the author offers no evidence to substantiate that the milk's prices of the local market can represent all ones in Batavia. Then, the author may ignore some possible factors for the phenomenon. For instance, more rich people live in the local area than other areas in Batavia, and they buy the high-quality milk which has higher price. Also, there may be monopoly in the local milk market, which does not exist in other areas of Batavia, and the price of milk is manipulated, leading to the increase of prices. Without ruling out such factors, the author cannot convince me that the prices increase.

Finally, granted that the farmers gain enormous profits for the increase of the supply and prices, the author overlooks the negative effects that regulating prices might help to bring about. It is possible that the farmers add more water to milk in order to cut the costs and gain more profits, as a result the quality of milk decreases. Without thinking about these effects, I cannot accept that the recommendation is good.

In sum, the author's claim that the regulation of milk prices is necessary is not well supported as it stands. To convince me, the author must provide clear statistic evidence to demonstrate that the milk's supply and prices have indeed increased in Batavia. To better evaluate the recommendation, I also need to know the opinion of farmers on the regulation.

[Kitosdad]

The following appeared in a letter to the editor of a Batavia newspaper.

"The department of agriculture in Batavia reports that the number of dairy farms throughout the country is now 25 percent greater than it was 10 years ago. During this same time period however the price of milk at the local Excello Food Market has increased from $1.50 to over $3.00 per gallon. To prevent farmers from continuing to receive excessive profits on an apparently increased supply of milk, the Batavia government should begin to regulate retail milk prices. Such regulation is necessary to ensure both lower prices and an adequate supply of milk for consumers."

In this argument, the author claims that in Batavia regulation of milk prices is needed to ensure milk's lower prices and sufficient supply. To support the claim, the author provides a national statistics about the number of dairy farms. The author also cites the evidence to indicate that the prices of milk have greatly increased. However, close security reveals that the argument contains some flaws and is unconvincing.

First of all, the author unfairly assumes that the national statistics about the number of dairy farms apply equally in Batavia(,) yet this might not be the case. It is possible that dairy farms numbers HAVE not increaseD, or HAVE PERHAPS even decreaseD for a variety of reasons in Batavia, such as the uncomfortable climate, the bad condition of soil and some economic and political problems. Moreover, the author fails to consider the possibility that the national statistics offered might account to an aberration, and in other years the number of dairy farms WAS lowER. The author also fails to consider that the increase of farm's number is not a sufficient evidence to prove that the supply of milk also increaseD, because the output of each dairy farm may decrease at the same time. Unless the author verifies these possibilities are impossible, the author cannot confidently draw the conclusion that the number of farms in B and the supply of milk have increased.

Secondly, even IF the supply of milk WAS excessive, the author fails to assure me that the prices of milk in Batavia have largely increased according to the price conditionS of the local Excello Food Market. Yet, the author offers no evidence to substantiate that the milk's prices of the local market can represent all MARKETS in Batavia. Then, the author may HAVE ignoreD some possible factors for the phenomenon. For instance, more rich people live in the local area than other areas in Batavia, and they buy the high-quality milk which has AN higher price. Also, there may be A monopoly in the local milk market, which does not exist in other areas of Batavia, and the price of milk is manipulated, leading to the increase IN prices. Without ruling out such factors, the author cannot convince me that the prices increase.

Finally, granted that the farmers gain enormous profits for the increase of the supply and prices, the author overlooks the negative effects that regulating prices might help to bring about. It is possible that the farmers add more water to milk in order to cut the costs and gain more profits, as a result the quality of milk decreases. Without thinking about these effects, I cannot accept that the recommendation is good.

In sum, the author's claim that the regulation of milk prices is necessary is not well supported as it stands. To convince me, the author must provide clear statisticAL evidence to demonstrate that the milk's supply and prices have indeed increased in Batavia. To better evaluate the recommendation, I also need to know the opinion of farmers on the regulation.
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A sound assessment Csdlw.

Kitos. 9/10
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Keep it simple ... Keep it interesting.

[Csdlw]

Thanks, :)