We were ready to head out to observe the inspection of a Miami seafood warehouse, but another team of investigators asked that we first look at evidence from their last job. They showed us a video of a huge quantity of rice contaminated with live insects.

Their work, they knew, would prevent that shipment from reaching consumers, and they were justifiably proud.

“Government regulation” is a term often used with derision. During a recent tour to observe investigators in the FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), however, the value of regulations was clear. So were the dedication, skill, experience, physical stamina, and pride investigators bring to one of the major steps in enforcing regulations. Those qualities appeared again and again—at a blood bank inspection in Boston, a juice facility in Philadelphia, an egg farm in Iowa, a smoked seafood plant in Seattle, and at the Miami warehouse.

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