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Jun 2, 2025  |  
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Gabrielle M. Etzel


NextImg:RFK Jr. and Rollins outline MAHA nutrition agenda

President Donald Trump’s agriculture and health and human services secretaries outlined their shared vision on Thursday for overhauling government nutrition programs as part of their quest to “make America healthy again.”

Agriculture Department Secretary Brooke Rollins has primary jurisdiction over key aspects of nutrition policy, including food stamps and the national school lunch program, but Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made improving the quality of the food supply a central feature of his campaign to fix the chronic disease crisis.

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On Thursday, the duo outlined their shared vision for tackling the chronic disease epidemic, particularly for children.

“As the leaders put in charge of overseeing our nation’s food supply and human services, we have a duty to fix this,” Rollins and Kennedy wrote.

The op-ed, published in USA Today, references the goals of the MAHA Commission, established via executive order by Trump in February. The president’s order instructed USDA, HHS, and several other agencies and departments to develop a strategy by August to reduce the chronic disease burden among children.

During his confirmation process, Kennedy was scrutinized heavily by senators from states that are largely dependent on the agriculture sector, including Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA). But Kennedy and Rollins wrote that protecting farmers is in the best interest of the health of Americans.

“We know our farmers, ranchers and producers dedicate their lives to growing the safest, most abundant food supply in the world. We need to put American farmers first and make sure our kids and families reap the benefit of their bounty,” the pair said.

The secretaries wrote that much of the work to improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will fall to states to prohibit the use of food stamps for candy, soda, and other unhealthy foods and beverages and to promote whole milk, fruits, and vegetables.

“We call on all governors to submit waivers to help promote access to these critical sources of nutrition, including waivers that can limit what can be purchased with food stamps, get healthy foods to rural communities, and prioritize nutritional standards in school meals,” Kennedy and Rollins wrote.

In the past two weeks, Kennedy has visited West Virginia and Utah to highlight how their state governments have attempted to implement the MAHA agenda, ranging from prohibiting artificial dyes in food served in school lunches to SNAP benefit changes.

The pair said the MAHA moniker is “not just a campaign slogan” but rather “a movement of Americans who want the ability to make healthy choices and live longer, more fulfilling lives.”

Kennedy and Rollins also said they are working together to improve the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a policy document issued every five years that governs the nutrition standards for all federal food programs.

MAHA advocates say the Dietary Guidelines for Americans have, for the past several iterations, been muddied by corporate interests and advocacy groups.

Rollins and Kennedy said their job is to “make certain the next iteration of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is steeped in science, not political science.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 5 children and adolescents in the United States are obese, and more than 40% of school-aged children have at least one chronic condition.

By contrast, only 5% of children under 17 in 1980 were obese, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.