Worms In Apples: A Parable

Every so often, an apple has a worm in it.  So let's pass a law forbidding the sale of apples with worms in them, and see what happens.

Firstly, we need an agency of government to oversee the sale of apples, and inspectors to inspect a small, random percentage of the apples sold on the market.  Let's say they check one out of every 10,000 apples sold.  The fines for an apple grower are set at $1,000 for a first offense, $25,000 for a second offense, and a third offense to result in forfeiture of apple orchards and other property, to a maximum penalty of $250,000.  Not to mention additional damages, if somebody sues over the trauma and the violation of the human right to enjoy worm-free apples.

Our humbled apple producers now live in dread of worms being found in their apples.  They can respond in one, or a combination of the following ways:

1: Decide that apple growing has become a risky business, sell the farm to developers and move to the city.

2: Use a lot more pesticides (and court different legal challenges) and hire independent inspectors to check one out of 100 apples grown.

3: Grow another crop instead--rip out the apple trees, and grow corn, squash or broccoli; preferably a heavily subsidized crop.

The results of this new regulation as they manifest in the marketplace:

1: The price of apples will rise to reflect additional inspections, increased liabilities, and decreased supply.

2: The available selection will narrow considerably, due to the preference of remaining growers toward worm-resistant and pesticide-resistant varieties.

3: Organic apples, if available at all, will be so cost-prohibitive that they will only be sold to processors who will process out any evidence of worm infestation.

4: Packaging of apples will need to ensure that the apples will not become contaminated in transit.  Each apple would need to be individually wrapped, adding to the cost of the product and possibly lessening its' marketability.

5: A sudden overabundance of corn, squash and/or broccoli wreaks havoc with the market, creating surplus supply and jeopardizing an entire unrelated field (or fields) of agriculture.

After the market has adapted and prices have risen accordingly, along with diminished selection and availability, there will be an outcry against the cost of apples.  The government will step in to save the day by determining price caps for apples.  Of course, this will result in a new and similar round of market adaptation--fewer growers (again), more pesticides/fewer varieties (again), and more processing (again).

Thus, we end up with a safer, almost certainly worm-free, supply of apples.  Who could argue with that?  Unless, of course, you grow apples, or prefer organic, or happen to be really fond of some variety that doesn't prove profitable to the mass market apple growing industry?  Or--maybe --would just like to be able to afford an apple a day?

Here's to you, Johnny Appleseed.  If only you'd known--that we would sacrifice diversity for the sake of the occasional worm!