And now he takes that sensibility to talking about the absurdly complicated world of food production and policy. Today’s piece doesn’t present startlingly original analysis and insight, but rather lays out pretty much everything that food policy geeks have been talking about for years … in 818 eminently sensible words. Like this:

Break up the U.S. Department of Agriculture and empower the Food and Drug Administration. Currently, the U.S.D.A. counts among its missions both expanding markets for agricultural products (like corn and soy!) and providing nutrition education. These goals are at odds with each other; you can’t sell garbage while telling people not to eat it, and we need an agency devoted to encouraging sane eating. Meanwhile, the F.D.A. must be given expanded powers to ensure the safety of our food supply. (Food-related deaths are far more common than those resulting from terrorism, yet the F.D.A.’s budget is about one-fifteenth that of Homeland Security.)

Boom! Cue the common-sense revolution! Give it a good read, and let me know what you think in the comments.