Press Releases

MAHA Commission releases child health strategy

On Sept. 9, the Make America Healthy Again Commission released its “Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy,” a plan with more than 120 initiatives that outlines targeted executive actions to “advance gold-standard science, realign incentives, increase public awareness, and strengthen private-sector collaboration.”

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall expressed appreciation that the commission met with farmers in the process of developing the strategy.

“Farmers and ranchers share the goal of improving health outcomes in America, and they are dedicated to growing safe, nutritious and affordable food for America’s families,” Duvall said. “Healthy meals start with healthy farms, and we appreciate the report’s recognition of the vital role farmers play in the food supply chain.”

Duvall said American grown, fruits, vegetables, meat and milk are central to helping children develop healthy eating habits.

“Reducing or streamlining regulations in smart ways can allow farms operating on very thin margins to innovate, diversify and respond to consumer demand,” Duvall said. “Prioritizing voluntary conservation efforts for farmers and ranchers and optimizing EPA’s already robust pesticide regulatory process to accelerate innovation are welcome recommendations.”

According to a USDA press release, the plan includes five key focus areas:

• Science and research: Expanding NIH and agency research into chronic disease prevention, nutrition and metabolic health, food quality, environmental exposures, autism, gut microbiome, precision agriculture, rural and tribal health, vaccine injury, and mental health;

• Executive Actions: Reforming dietary guidelines; defining ultra-processed foods; improving food labeling; closing the GRAS loophole (which allows food and chemical companies to declare new ingredients as safe without FDA review); raising infant formula standards; removing harmful chemicals from the food supply; increasing oversight and enforcement of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising laws; improving food served in schools, hospitals, and to veterans; and reforming Medicaid quality metrics to measure health outcomes.

• Process Reform & Deregulation: Streamlining organic certification; easing barriers to farm-to-school programs and direct-to-consumer sales; restoring whole milk in schools; supporting mobile grocery and processing units; modernizing FDA drug and device approval; and accelerating EPA approvals for innovative agricultural products.

• Public Awareness & Education: Launching school-based nutrition and fitness campaigns, Surgeon General initiatives on screen time, prioritizing pediatric mental health, and expanding access to reliable nutrition and health information for parents.

• Private Sector Collaboration: Promoting awareness of healthier meals at restaurants, soil health and land stewardship, and community-led initiatives, and scaling innovative solutions to address root causes of chronic disease.

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