The data presented in that link aren't conclusive. The CPI adjusted prices show a sharp rise in vegetable prices compared to snack foods, but the authors qualify with arguments about quality.

I suspect you refer to Figure 1.

This graph shows the Bureau of Labor Statistics' inflation-adjusted indexes for fruits and vegetables versus snack foods. The paper explains that this index is misleading because it compares 1980 apples to 2006 washed, peeled, sliced, packaged, organic apples. The BLS index does not track a standardized shopping list; it is proportional to the food that shoppers actually buy each month.

The paper describes many changes in the typical shopping cart, all of them good news for fruit and veggie lovers:

• Reduced seasonality (foods like strawberries were formerly unavailable much of the year — more accurately, they were prohibitively expensive to carry — now they are available much of the year)

• Increased variety ("From 1987-97, produce departments nearly doubled the number of items sold")

• More convenience (spinach, broccoli, and carrots are mostly sold already prepared; 69% of carrots sold are cut and peeled)

These changes represent real increased value in the produce we take home. Oreos have not had an innovation since Double Stuf appeared in 1974.

The obvious way to correct for these trends is to compare prices for whole, unprepared fruits and vegetables. USDA selected 11 fruits and vegetables "that were largely the same product in 1980 and 2006." These histories mostly look like this one for celery:

This is from the same data set, but simply compares Red Delicious apples to Red Delicious apples over time rather than an evolving typical shopping cart.

The only clear increased price was that of broccoli, and it turns out that BLS has a broader definition for this category, including "head broccoli (with stems), crowns, and bags of washed florets," so this index reflects the increased popularity of prepared food.

Healthy food is not the only thing that is getting more abundant and affordable. Ice cream is too, and I don't see that as a terrible thing, though like anything else there are good and bad consequences. Information about nutrition is more available than ever before, and if it comes to that medical treatment for diabetes and heart disease is better and more widely distributed than it has ever been.

You directly associate the nation's biggest food and health problem to federal policy. Why not advocate the No Policy option, and just let people buy groceries as they choose?