Latest from Food Politics: How is MAHA doing so far? Not so great.

A bunch of items got me thinking about the gap between what MAHA promised and what it is actually doing: mostly talk, but not much action. I.   This post from Senator Elizabeth Warren on X. II.   The New York Times: How Kennedy did on children’s ...

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By Marion Nestle September 23 2026 How is MAHA doing so far? Not so great. A bunch of items got me thinking about the gap between what MAHA promised and what it is actually doing: mostly talk, but not much action. I.  This post from Senator Elizabeth Warren on X. II.  The New York Times: How Kennedy did on children’s health reforms Everything seems to be a mixed bag: Dietary guidelines advising eat real food and restrict highly processed foods, but also advising more meat, fat, and saturated fat. State restrictions of sodas and other sugary foods on SNAP, but other requirements that have dropped enrollments. An FDA proposal to close the GRAS loophole, but cuts to personnel will make oversight impossible. Removal of artificial dyes from food products, but this is voluntary. Defining ultra-processed foods, but this is held up and its fate is uncertain. Promises to put real food in schools, but no rules have as yet been issued nor is more money being appropriated. III.  “MAHA Moms Built a Movement. MAGA Bros Have Taken It Over,” With the midterm elections approaching and MAHA voters increasingly dissatisfied with Trump, it’s worth asking: How exactly did a cause powered by women turn into one run by men? And will the women who built the MAHA movement ever revolt? IV.  KFF  Health News:  Trump and Kennedy’s Health Industry Deals Haven’t Been Enforced and Are at Risk of Vanishing Like the focus on artificial dyes, however, many of the administration’s highest-profile health initiatives rely on voluntary agreements. The goals, such as lower drug prices and nutrition classes for doctors, have widespread appeal, cutting across party lines and economic divisions.  But the administration-industry deals lack the enforcement teeth of more traditional federal regulation. Their details are vague, and minimal oversight makes it hard to monitor progress. In some cases, the administration has claimed victories that have yet to materialize. Comment I had some cautious hope that this particular piece of this administration’s plans might actually get somewhere.  At the beginning, RFK Jr sounded like he really did want to improve American diets and Make America Healthy Again.  Apparently, he was unable to stand up to food industry pressures, as is most evident by his failure to get glyphosate out of the food supply. His one resounding success?  Destroying confidence in the safety and efficacy of vaccinations, despite tons of evidence that their benefits hugely outweigh risks. In a word, disappointing. The post How is MAHA doing so far? Not so great. appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle      Related Posts SNAP waivers are associated with short-term decreases in soda purchases Closing the GRAS loophole? It’s about time, but is that all? MAHA’s one achievement so far: voluntary elimination of artificial food colors   Now Available: What to Eat Now My new book, What to Eat Now, is officially out! It's both a field guide to food shopping in America and a reflection on how to eat well—and deliciously. For more information and to order, click here. You can explore the full archive of this (almost) daily blog at foodpolitics.com, where you'll also find information about my books, articles, media interviews, upcoming lectures, favorite resources, and FAQs. Visit the Site » ​​​​​​​ Marion Nestle Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, Emerita © Marion Nestle. You're receiving this email because you've signed up to receive updates from us. If you'd prefer not to receive updates, you can unsubscribe. Safely Unsubscribe • Archives • Preferences • Contact • Subscribe • Privacy

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Latest from Food Politics: USDA tells dairy industry not to worry about environmental, social, and governance (ESG) overregulation

It’s Climate Week, so this seems ironically appropriate.   Never mind global warming, ruminant greenhouse gas emissions, or food safety. You have to love the double-speak rhetoric: This action aligns research and promotion activities with the ...

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By Marion Nestle September 22 2026 USDA tells dairy industry not to worry about environmental, social, and governance (ESG) overregulation It’s Climate Week, so this seems ironically appropriate.  Never mind global warming, ruminant greenhouse gas emissions, or food safety. You have to love the double-speak rhetoric: This action aligns research and promotion activities with the Department’s priorities and the original mission of the checkoffs. USDA remains committed to ensuring that every dollar collected from American producers serves American agriculture for the better. “Serving American agriculture for the better” is a red flag.  It usually translates as serving the interests of agribusiness or the peculiar politics of the current USDA. The USDA’s target here is its Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.  This, according to the announcement, was established through the checkoff, has pursued extensive ESG initiatives, including greenhouse-gas and net-zero targets. USDA’s action ends checkoff support for those ESG-related projects…This action also directs the Agricultural Marketing Service to ensure no research and promotion funds in other commodity checkoffs advance ESG mandates…USDA is taking swift action to bar the Dairy Checkoff from spending farmer paid dollars on the radical ESG ideology [my emphasis]. I took a look at the Innovation Center website.  Its focus areas may explain why the USDA wants its funding stopped.  Radical ideology?  You decide. Animal care: Align the industry on best practices for animal well-being and care. Environmental Stewardship: Advance solutions that protect natural resources and nourish the planet for future generations. Food Safety: Drive adoption of world-class food safety practices while exploring next generation technologies that progress safety and traceability. Health & Well-being: Deliver dairy nutrition that meets emerging and personalized health while improving nutrition security in the U.S. and around the world. People & Community: Support efforts to alleviate hunger, promote community vitality, and empower the dairy workforce. The Center is funded by the checkoff program.  With no checkoff funding, it will no longer exist. Chalk this up as another tragic casualty of the Trump administration’s radical ideology. The post USDA tells dairy industry not to worry about environmental, social, and governance (ESG) overregulation appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle      Related Posts Whole milk in schools: Will it make kids healthier? Who is lobbying about the forthcoming school food rules? Industry-funded study of the week: dairy trans fats   Now Available: What to Eat Now My new book, What to Eat Now, is officially out! It's both a field guide to food shopping in America and a reflection on how to eat well—and deliciously. For more information and to order, click here. You can explore the full archive of this (almost) daily blog at foodpolitics.com, where you'll also find information about my books, articles, media interviews, upcoming lectures, favorite resources, and FAQs. Visit the Site » ​​​​​​​ Marion Nestle Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, Emerita © Marion Nestle. You're receiving this email because you've signed up to receive updates from us. If you'd prefer not to receive updates, you can unsubscribe. Safely Unsubscribe • Archives • Preferences • Contact • Subscribe • Privacy

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