Make America healthy again? Let’s see if they’re serious

It’s true that our food system is broken. I’ve been saying so for decades. As an organic farmer, I’ve long been passionate about building healthier, more resilient, and more local pathways to feeding our families. And I’ve brought those ideals with me to Congress, where many of us have long been pushing back against “Big Ag” and the decline of the family farm, as well as working to improve our diets.

I’ve introduced bills to support local and regional farming and secured federal funding for “food is medicine” initiatives that directly connect our health outcomes to what and how we eat. I’m serious about making real, lasting change.

Which is why I’m hoping that the Trump administration’s promise to “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) amounts to more than just another empty campaign promise. Americans are struggling to put enough healthy food on the table, and they’re also deeply concerned about what’s actually in their food — everything from dyes and pesticides to pollutants like PFAS and microplastics.

Fortunately, they don’t need to look far for inspiration. I’ve worked with colleagues in Congress — on both sides of the aisle — on a wide range of proposals that have already laid the groundwork on what a healthy America actually looks like.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that almost one-third of American children did not consume a daily fruit and almost half did not consume a vegetable daily. Our food system — from the way we incentivize farmers, to our underfunded food assistance programs — reinforces these alarming habits.

The United States subsidizes certain crops — commodities like corn and soybeans — more than others, like fruits and vegetables. By some estimates, only 6 percent of U.S. farmland is used for crops for human consumption, while over 70 percent is used for livestock feed. If we make it more profitable to grow produce, we can better support small and mid-sized farms, help to fight corporate consolidation in agriculture, and expand access to nutritious foods that many Americans struggle to find and afford.

Overuse of pesticides degrade soil health and impact human health, not to mention runoff into our waterways, hurting our environment too. There’s a lot still to learn about how soil health and human health are connected (I’ve secured funding for comprehensive new research). There’s one way we know we can reduce pesticide use: Support organic agriculture — both through research and increased production.

There is increasing consensus that food access and nutrition is key to maintaining good health. Poor diets are a leading contributor to the development of chronic illness like heart disease and obesity, driving massive health care spending in the U.S. and can severely impact quality of life.

We should be investing in programs that tailor access to healthy groceries for families and children and meals for at-risk patients. I’ve spearheaded efforts to establish produce prescription programs — which allow medical providers to connect at-risk patients with subsidized fruits and vegetables — at agencies like the VA and Indian Health Service and strongly support including more coverage for medically tailored meals under Medicare. These options help keep people in their homes and out of the hospital — increased access could represent major cost savings.

But with 47.4 million Americans struggling to put food on the table in 2023, nutrition programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) are most critical. Did you know adults participating in SNAP incur nearly 25 percent less in medical care costs a year than low-income non-participants? But time and again, Republicans try to slash benefits or make these programs harder to access. Last year, they proposed a $30 billion cut to SNAP in the farm bill. Now they’re proposing the same cuts and more as a priority for the 119th Congress.

There is a lot of talk about banning or restricting ultra-processed foods and dyes. I say, “finally!”

Corporate-funded “nutrition” research dominates the media, creating confusion for consumers. Strengthening federal investment in high-quality, independent research is essential to ensuring Americans have the accurate, reliable information they need to make informed decisions about their diets and well-being. Did you know that congressional Republicans have blocked appropriations for the Office of Nutrition at the National Institutes of Health? We need our best scientists focused on big questions like the health impacts of ultra processed foods and additives, and we can’t do it without funding.

We know what it would take to make America healthy. What it really comes down to is political will.

If President-elect Trump and his administration are serious about improving the health of America, we have a real opportunity to bring about transformative changes — and remind the American people what’s possible when Republicans and Democrats work together in a truly bipartisan fashion.

But if all the talk about taking on Big Ag and getting serious about chronic disease turns out to be a bunch of bluster, and the only health policies the administration tries to advance are Medicaid cuts and making it even harder for American families to put food on the table, it will sadly be a wasted opportunity.

Chellie Pingree represents the 1st District in Maine.

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