Many years ago, I wrote a letter to The Area News complaining that we as farmers do the right thing and should be remembered that farmers are price takers.

In those days we provided free accommodation for those who were picking wine grapes, we paid the pickers on their bucket count but not everyone is cut out to pick fruit.

There is money to be made in picking fruit but one has to have a quick hand.

We have good farmers and bad ones and the same can be said about workers.

One only has to look at the price of milk of $1 a litre.

It was all started by Coles in January 2011 a decade ago, did the consumer complain?

And the dairy farmer in the last 10 years had to pay back money to the milk company who overpaid them, then high prices for irrigation water and drought that the farmer had to decide that the cost of feed to feed his animals or get out of farming.

It has been reported over the last four years a quarter of Victorian dairy farmers have left the dairy industry, milk is worth less than a bottle of water.

We all need a fair go, the workers and farmers.

Who has the right to allow our human family and friends, die in pain and suffering? When a pet can be put to rest because it's the humane thing to do. It's uncaring, cruel and out-dated.

Those who are of sound mind terminally ill should have this choice.

Those who are of sound mind are old, 80 plus have lived their life, have no joy in being here, should be allowed to go with dignity when they choose so. Get with the times, nobody should have to suffer.

Whilst the proposed dying with dignity laws are a start, they do not go far enough. People should have control over their own death and when that time should be.

The concept of coercion is easily overcome. Why can't one have both in writing and on a recording whilst they are of sound mind what their specific wishes are in this regard.

This could be updated (yearly if necessary) to ensure that they still feel this way.

As in Switzerland, once the process has begun, at each stage they can be asked if they wish to change their mind. If something sudden happens where they can no longer make that decision, then common sense must preside.

This could be, for example, that each (years) request is kept on file and if it has been consistent it could be taken as consent.

People make this issue a lot harder than it has to be. People who are opposed are not being forced to die this way, but the people who want to should be given this choice.

The Swiss model is much better than the dying with dignity option that we are considering/adopting.