I'm not talking about an interplanetary catastrophe such as was depicted in the 1951 science fiction film (with a remake scheduled for release sometime in 2012). Rather, I'm talking about when the old collides with the new – when ancient traditions collide with modern reality – and individual rights collide with public safety concerns (or government intrusion - take your pick).

One morning in April at 5 am, agents of the federal government suddenly descended on the dairy farm of one Dan Allgyer of Kinzers, Pennsylvania for a "routine inspection." (Admittedly, dairy farmers are up and at their jobs by that time of day, but it hardly constitutes "normal business hours.")

The next day, Farmer Allgyer received a stern written warning from the Philadelphia field office of the Department of Health and Human Services: stop selling raw milk across state lines, or your farm and its products will be seized and we will shut you down.

A few months earlier, federal agents trespassed on Allgyer's private property and demanded that he submit to inspections because he had cows – and therefore was producing "food for human consumption."

Here's the rub: Farmer Allgyer is Amish. If you know anything about this sect, you know that the Amish pretty much reject any kind of industrial technology. Although they have had to make small concessions over the decades, the Amish have done a pretty remarkable job of maintaining their old traditions. Furthermore, Amish farm communities are starting to serve as a model for the kind of small-scale, localized agriculture that built this country – and that most of us would like to see brought back.

On 22 April, Debbie Stockton of the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association told WorldNetDaily that Allgyer represents "the type of farmer who exemplifies what we are trying to restore."

Besides, people from the Middle East, Europe and North America have been drinking raw milk for centuries, and the majority are no worse off for it. There is even some evidence that raw milk can have some health benefits for certain individuals (see my recent post on "A Dairy Good Idea?").

But let me play devil's advocate here and suggest that maybe raw milk is not a good idea for some people, such as those with compromised immune systems. Farmer Allgyer wasn't hiding anything; his customers were well aware that they were purchasing raw, unpasteurized milk, and presumably were willing to assume the risks that came with drinking it.

It's interesting how the folks in D.C. who are advocating for "small government" are really advocating it for mega firms like ADM, Monsanto and Con-Agra (who really need to be reigned in by responsible elected officials) – but when it comes to the small independent farmers like you and Farmer Allgyer, that government seems to be getting bigger and more intrusive every day.

What do you think?