The MAHA Commission has released its “Make Our Children Healthy Again” policy strategy, which aims to address childhood chronic disease but also has potentially heavy impacts on farmers, sound science and healthy food in the food and beverage industries.
These impacts remain a concern, but the strategy shows signs of progress from the initial “Make America Healthy Again” report released in May.
FMI – The Food Industry Association
FMI President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin offered the following statement in response to the release of the Make Our Children Healthy Again policy report:
“FMI shares the administration’s commitment to making Americans healthier. We agree that nutrition and food as medicine play foundational roles in health, and we are proud to be a critical part of this effort. Some key steps our members are taking include expanding access to more affordable produce, supporting families receiving SNAP and WIC benefits and offering healthier choices in every aisle – all supported by counsel from registered dietitians/nutritionists; consumer education, recipes and cooking demonstrations; and supporting transparency tools like SmartLabel. All these activities are empowering families to make informed decisions.
“September is National Family Meals Month – an effort established and advanced for more than a decade by FMI and our members to help families in ways that have been shown to improve mental and emotional well-being as well as physical and financial health.
“As the work to make America healthier continues, we urge policymakers to recognize the critical role that food retailers and their supplier partners play in delivering affordable, nutritious foods to families across the country – in urban, rural and suburban communities of every size; and while we fully support and encourage local product sourcing, consumers also value the year-round availability and variety of foods made possible by our national and global food system.”
International Fresh Produce Association
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) issued the following statement in response:
“IFPA welcomes the publication of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission’s second report, which marks an important step in elevating nutrition as a national public health priority. We applaud the commission’s recognition of the vital role ‘whole, healthy’ foods like fresh produce play in improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. Simply put, you cannot make America healthy again without fruits and vegetables.
“Building on this momentum, IFPA urges policymakers to take bold, practical action. Our evidence-based policy recommendations call for the Department of Health and Human Services to embed produce prescriptions as a covered benefit within federal health programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and the Department of Veterans Affairs; urge Congress and USDA to expand the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) to all schools and improve fresh produce procurement options in feeding programs; ask FDA to prioritize clear and transparent front-of-pack labeling to help consumers make informed choices; and support all production systems including voluntary, incentive-based regenerative agriculture policies that focus on strengthening soil health, biodiversity and water efficiency while ensuring a sustainable produce supply.
“In the months ahead, IFPA will focus its efforts on both administrative and congressional pathways to make our recommendations a reality. The fresh produce industry stands ready to partner with the Trump administration, lawmakers and nutrition and agricultural leaders to ensure every American has access to the fruits and vegetables they need for a healthier life.”
National Grocers Association
The National Grocers Association (NGA), the national trade association representing independent supermarket retailers, released the following statement on the policy report:
“With the release of the MAHA strategy, we thank the commission for their work and dedication in reminding the public of the challenges that independent grocers have long cautioned: in the United States of America, too many communities still lack convenient access to healthy, affordable food.
“Independent grocers and their wholesale partners stand ready to be part of the solution, which is why we have worked to increase access to whole and fresh foods through nutrition incentive programs.
“NGA urges action to eliminate costly red tape that prevents grocers from serving low-income communities in novel, innovative ways. Partnering with independent grocers is critical to building stronger food security, thereby ensuring our national security through the promise of healthier American communities.”
[RELATED: Work Not Finished, But NGA Pleased With Efforts On Tax Measure, SNAP]
National Pork Producers Council
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) also commented on the policy report’s release.
“While agriculture’s voice was widely unheard in the initial MAHA report, we thank the administration for listening to our concerns before releasing the ‘Make Our Children Healthy Again’ strategy. We all want to help our children be healthy, yet there is still more work and understanding for this goal to best be accomplished,” said NPPC President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio. “America’s pork producers need the administration’s continued partnership and receptiveness to agriculture and food industry education.”