By Blaine Davis Contributing Editor
With the presidential election now nearly a year in the rearview mirror, much has transpired at a rapid pace. Being a staunch conservative with a Republican Party voting record, I am very bullish on this new direction for issues involving a strong border to reining in runaway inflation. The one area that may have tamed my bullish attitude was the nomination and conferment of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary. With Kennedy’s past political allegiances, his expressed doubts on genetically modified crops (GMOs) and an enthusiasm for organic farming, I cocked my “seed company” cap back and scratched my head with possible disillusionment. While my primary interaction with the federal government is through the Department of Agriculture (DOA), not HHS, I recognize their rules and regulations do also shape our food systems. Recently, several directives and policies from Kennedy’s domain have enlightened me and altered my perceptions.
Chaired by Sec. Kennedy, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission is tasked with investigating and addressing the root causes of America’s escalating health crisis, with a focus on childhood chronic diseases. The strategy targets actions to advance gold-standard science, realign incentives, increase public awareness and strengthen private-sector collaboration.
The commission released a second installment of their action strategy to address children’s health. As outlined by Jennifer Shike in a recent Drovers publication, this report offers more than 120 initiatives to address and resolve what Kennedy described as “America’s escalating health crisis, with a focus on childhood chronic diseases.” No matter which side of the aisle you are from and having eight grandchildren myself, I ask, “Why couldn’t you support this for the sake of healthier kids?”
With this second installment to the original document from this past May, many farm organizations had said the original report was filled with “fear-based rather than science-based information.”
“Science proves what American parents have known all along – nutrient-dense meat and poultry products are essential for a balanced diet,” according to Meat Institute President and CEO Anna Potts. “For years, previous administrations have tried to discourage consumption of meat, primarily for reasons unrelated to nutrition, and as a result our most vulnerable populations – children, adolescent girls, nursing mothers and seniors – no longer consume enough protein and critical nutrients like iron and zinc.”
“Science proves what American parents have known all along – nutrient-dense meat and poultry products are essential for a balanced diet”
– Meat Institute President & CEO Anna Potts
Cattle producer and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Buck Wehrbein says American beef is the perfect fit for the MAHA Commission’s goals. “Our farmers and ranchers raise the best beef in the world, providing healthy, fresh protein option to millions of families every day.”
While a balanced diet is essential, numerous studies have shown the quality of protein from animal-based sources far exceeds that found in plant-based foods, according to Ashley Johnson, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) director of food policy.
The MAHA report in regard to environmental health stops short of calling for restrictions on pesticide use. Instead, the report recommends collaboration with the agriculture industry to identify “precision agricultural techniques” that can help farmers reduce their use of crop-protection products. Sec. Rollins stated about the report, “Together with our partners at HHS and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), we are charting a new course, strengthening the health of families and ensuring the United States leads the world with the safest, strongest and most abundant food supply.”
As examples, Rollins referenced the removal of artificial food dyes, restricting “junk” food and soda from SNAP and providing farmers with new tools to maintain and improve soil health, including the introduction of a regenerative farming practice program.
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) said this latest report appears to be a reasonable and science-based approach to achieving its objectives. In an adjacent “field,” the American Soybean Association (ASA) weighed in with cautious optimism. “Soybean farmers are thankful the MAHA commission recognized the EPA’s approval process as the global standard,” said ASA President Caleb Ragland.
I, along with most agricultural groups agree there is still much to accomplish and develop in strategies to keep America at the forefront of feeding the world. Recently witnessing Sec. Kennedy’s physical fitness challenge with “known” television personality, I too, have much to accomplish to MBHA, “make Blaine healthy again.”
