Tax on junk food

NYT writer Mark Bittman proposes serious taxes on junk food and subsidies for vegetables and fruit.  Great idea, Mark.  How many (junk) food industry lobbyists are cranking up their machinery to shoot this down before it has a chance?

OP-ED COLUMNIST

Bad Food? Tax It, and Subsidize Vegetables

By MARK BITTMAN

WHAT will it take to get Americans to change our eating habits? The need is indisputable, since heart disease, diabetes and cancer are all in large part caused by the Standard American Diet. (Yes, it’s SAD.)

Though experts increasingly recommend a diet high in plants and low in animal products and processed foods, ours is quite the opposite, and there’s little disagreement that changing it could improve our health and save tens of millions of lives.

And — not inconsequential during the current struggle over deficits and spending — a sane diet could save tens if not hundreds of billions of dollars in health care costs.  Full story:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/opinion/sunday/24bittman.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=food&st=Search