MAHA Report's School Nutrition Push Undermined by USDA Cuts and Pesticide Policies
The Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission recently released a report outlining steps to improve children's health. However, critics argue that the recommendations, including increased funding for whole foods in schools, are undermined by simultaneous cuts to related programs and questionable policies.
In early September, the MAHA report was published, advocating for enhanced school nutrition programs with more whole foods. However, it overlooked the March funding cuts by the USDA, which slashed support for fresh whole foods from local farmers to schools and food banks.
The report also recommended increasing full-fat animal products, despite health concerns surrounding factory-farmed meat and dairy. MAHA supporters had demanded stronger protections from toxic chemical exposure, investment in organic agriculture, and an end to liability shields for agrochemical companies, but these demands were ignored.
Adding to the concern, the MAHA report called for fast-tracking pesticide approvals and promoting toxic pesticides as 'safe', despite calls for reform. Meanwhile, in July, the USDA canceled the Regional Food Business Centers, which supported local food infrastructure and small-scale meat producers.
To genuinely improve children's health, the administration must reverse course and invest in local food programs, conservation, and regional food infrastructure. The USDA, under Secretary Brooke Rollins, has announced deep cuts to programs supporting small and medium-sized farms, exacerbating the situation.
The MAHA report's recommendations for improving children's health through school nutrition are commendable. However, the simultaneous cuts to related programs and questionable policies, such as the promotion of toxic pesticides, raise serious concerns. To truly make America healthy again, the administration must address these inconsistencies and invest in a comprehensive, sustainable food system.
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