Tom Vilsack, Iowa's former governor, calls his "the most important department in government," noting that the Agriculture Department serves education through school nutrition programs and serves diplomacy by trying to wean Afghanistan from a poppy-based (meaning heroin-based) economy. But Vilsack's department matters most because of the health costs of the American diet. If Michael Pollan is right, the problem is rooted in politics and, in a sense, Iowa. ...more

March 8, 2009

American consumers should be wary of food manufacturers that launch campaigns to promote their product's safety. A prime example is the Corn Refiners Association, which is sponsoring ads extolling the virtues of high fructose corn syrup. ...more

September 13, 2008

It's an economic powerhouse representing 4 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product and employing 9 percent of the U.S. work force. ...more

January 13, 2008

Holidays are the season for nostalgia. Without fail, reference to the "good old days" often turns into debates over contemporary headaches. ...more

December 31, 2007

Best known for deciding whether medications are safe and effective, the Food and Drug Administration is weighing whether to crack down on plain old salt, which doctors say is harmful in the quantities most Americans consume. ...more

November 28, 2007

Pop artist Andy Warhol was attracted to the image of a Campbell's tomato soup can as a way to celebrate the ordinary objects in our everyday lives. ...more

October 10, 2007