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I came across the following article on Drudge this morning:
The summary of the amendment states:
"This constitutional resolution declares that all individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health and well-being."
At face value it seems fairly simple, you have a right to have a garden in your back yard. Who would ever disagree with that?!
As much of a small government libertarian as I may be, upon thinking a little further, I am left scratching my head on this one.
I've heard cases in the past where local governments want to tax people for the food you grow and consume. Absolutely absurd. Those politicians should be tarred and feathered.
I've heard cases where states want to outlaw a co-op of people from raising cows and producing / drinking raw milk. Again, this is absurd, so long as it is for their own consumption.
Where it gets hairy for me is when you start selling to the public in general, because after all part of this is "consume the food of their own choosing".
Sure selling a bunch of turnips at a local farmer's market is rather innocuous. But how about selling canned goods, that could be contaminated with botulism toxin?
What if I raise corn for my own personal consumption, on a 100 acre farm, and sell the "extra" at the farmer's market, how about taxes?
And while I would think the FDA should have all this covered, I'm not convinced they necessarily have the nutritional health of Americans in mind either.
The summary of the amendment states:
"This constitutional resolution declares that all individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health and well-being."
At face value it seems fairly simple, you have a right to have a garden in your back yard. Who would ever disagree with that?!
As much of a small government libertarian as I may be, upon thinking a little further, I am left scratching my head on this one.
I've heard cases in the past where local governments want to tax people for the food you grow and consume. Absolutely absurd. Those politicians should be tarred and feathered.
I've heard cases where states want to outlaw a co-op of people from raising cows and producing / drinking raw milk. Again, this is absurd, so long as it is for their own consumption.
Where it gets hairy for me is when you start selling to the public in general, because after all part of this is "consume the food of their own choosing".
Sure selling a bunch of turnips at a local farmer's market is rather innocuous. But how about selling canned goods, that could be contaminated with botulism toxin?
What if I raise corn for my own personal consumption, on a 100 acre farm, and sell the "extra" at the farmer's market, how about taxes?
And while I would think the FDA should have all this covered, I'm not convinced they necessarily have the nutritional health of Americans in mind either.
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