Many government regulatory agencies allegedly have the mission of protecting us from unscrupulous businesses, unsafe products, and various other potential ills. In truth, these agencies prevent us from using reason. A recent example can be found in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
In January, agents of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture seized thirty-seven items of food from Amish farmer Amos Miller. Miller sells organic meats, dairy products, nuts, and other foodstuffs. Miller’s crime is that he has not obtained permission from the state government to sell those items.
In an attempt to justify his actions, he Secretary of Agriculture said,
We have asked repeatedly for him to have a license to do some of the things he’s doing, which then would allow for some of the inspection…under the structures of both Food and Drug Administration, USDA, PDA, local health departments.
In other words, unless the government has given its stamp of approval, individuals are too stupid to make rational decisions on their own.
Undoubtably, regulations prevent some people from making bad choices. However, regulations also prevent individuals from acting as they think best. Regulations prevent us from using reason.
In the case of Amos Miller, his website makes it clear that he is selling “truly organic, non-GMO, chemical free, hormone free and antibiotic free foods employing traditional farming methods.” While many individuals prefer the raw, unprocessed foods produced and sold by Miller, some government agencies have declared it unsafe to consumer raw dairy products. The individuals who purchase his products obviously disagree, but they, like Miller, are prevented from using reason to determine the safety of those foods.
Nobody is forced to buy Miller’s products. Those who do have determined that consuming raw, organic food is best for them. But regulatory agencies prevent individuals from acting on their judgment. They can only act as government officials think best.
When an individual makes a bad decision regarding what he ingests, he is the only one who suffers. When the government makes a bad decision regarding what individuals can ingest, everyone suffers. More fundamentally, when government dictates what individuals may and may not ingest, we are prevented from using our reason.