Agriculture responds to Kennedy’s MAHA report

The highly anticipated 72-page “Make America Healthy Again” report, which detailed a variety of possible contributors to childhood disease, was released on May 22. The document covered topics including ultra-processed foods, chemical exposure, mental health, overmedicalization, vaccines, and screen time impacts.  

Multiple agricultural groups were bracing themselves for what the report would say when it came to food production and pesticide use. Prior to the publishing of the document, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Service Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assured the agriculture industry it had nothing to worry about with the MAHA report. 

“I have said repeatedly throughout this process, that we cannot take any step that will put a single farmer in this country out of business,” Kennedy said. “There’s a million farmers who rely on glyphosate. We are not going to do anything to jeopardize that business model.” 

However, Kennedy’s words and the assertions made in the published report are sending mixed signals, and agricultural leaders are countering with their concern and pleas for sound scientific data to back up the claims in the report.  

“It is deeply troubling for the White House to endorse a report that sows seeds of doubt and fear about our food system and farming practices, then attempts to celebrate farmers and the critical role they play in producing the safest food supply in the world,” said Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau Federation president. “Farmers are identified as ‘critical partners,’ yet were excluded from development of the report, despite many requests for a seat at the table. The report also expresses a desire to ensure farmers continue to thrive, but undermining confidence in our food system directly contradicts that noble goal. The report spotlights outlier studies and presents unproven theories that feed a false narrative and only then does it acknowledge a mountain of evidence about the safety of our food system.” 

Pesticide usage 

As expected, pesticides were a significant focus of the chemical segment of the report. Under Section Two, “The cumulative load of chemicals in our environment,” the findings on pesticide use in agriculture are addressed. Some of the statements in the MAHA report relating to pesticides and agriculture are as follows: 

• “Crop Protection Tools: including pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides. Some studies have raised concerns about possible links between some of these products and adverse health outcomes, especially in children, but human studies are limited. For example, a selection of research studies on an herbicide (glyphosate) have noted a range of possible health effects, ranging from reproductive and developmental disorders as well as cancers, liver inflammation and metabolic disturbances. In experimental animal and wildlife studies, exposure to another herbicide (atrazine) can cause endocrine disruption and birth defects. Common exposures include lawn care, farming, and pesticide residues; however, a large-scale FDA study of pesticide residues (2009-2017) found the majority of samples (>90%) were compliant with federal standards. More recent data from the USDA’s Pesticide Data Program found that 99% of food samples tested in 2023 were compliant with EPA’s safety limit. Federal government reviews of epidemiologic data for the most common herbicide did not establish a direct link between use according to label directions and adverse health outcomes, and an updated U.S. government health assessment on common herbicides is expected in 2026.” 

• “Importantly, the Executive Order establishing the MAHA Commission directed the involved agencies to work with farmers to ensure that United States food is the healthiest, most abundant, and most affordable in the world. American farmers are critical partners in the success of the Make America Healthy Again agenda. All the involved agencies are therefore committed to ensuring not just the survival but the prosperity, of American Farmers. American farmers rely on these products, and actions that further regulate or restrict crop protection tools beyond risk-based and scientific processes set forth by Congress must involve thoughtful consideration of what is necessary for adequate protection, alternatives, and cost of production. Precipitous changes in agricultural practices could have an adverse impact on American agriculture and the domestic and global food supply. The federal government will continue to regularly review the safety of these important crop protection tools.” 

The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives defended the use of pesticides and added that government agencies have managed the use of these chemicals for many years.  

“We have serious concerns over the assessment’s allegations about pesticides,” NCFC’s statement read. “The report includes statements that do not reflect the wealth of evidence developed over decades by federal agencies such as the EPA and USDA on the safety of crop inputs and food production methods. These institutions have consistently reaffirmed the safety and efficacy of the systems that help feed our country and the world. As this process moves forward, we hope future discussions will be more transparent, balanced, and inclusive of the full scope of facts and perspectives that define American agriculture.”  

National Sorghum Producers past chair Craig Meeker shared his concerns for court cases using the statements in this report as fuel to pursue farmers and agricultural companies in legal cases in the future. 

“This kind of messaging drives fear, not facts and it plays right into the hands of trial lawyers looking to profit,” Meeker said. “It risks driving up food costs and taking away safe, effective tools that have been rigorously reviewed by both Republican and Democratic administrations for more than 50 years.” 

Current NSP Chair Amy France also shared her frustrations with the narrative being relayed in the report that implied human health is being endangered by a farmer’s use of chemicals or that agriculture would think of putting productivity over safety. 

“As a farmer raising my kids on the land we work every day, I support MAHA’s efforts to build healthier futures for our children,” France said. “That’s why we rely on crop protection tools that have undergone extensive scientific study and are used responsibly to protect both our farms and our families. It’s disappointing that the report casts doubt on these products despite clear scientific proof of their safety.”  

Reactions from across agriculture 

After the release of the report, U.S. Senate Ag Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and U.S. House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn Thompson (R-PA) released a statement highlighting their concerns. 

“We share President Trump’s vision for a healthier nation; however, we are troubled by the initial findings of the MAHA Commission Assessment and their impact on America’s farmers and ranchers,” the statement read. “As we engage in this important dialogue, we must move forward in a manner that avoids undermining the very systems that allow American farmers to produce the safest, most abundant, and affordable food in the world. It is imperative that we do not stray from the risk-based and scientific processes set forth by Congress. The Commission’s success will center upon course-correcting to prioritize sound science, peer-reviewed research, and the buy-in of the agricultural community.” 

Although there are mostly negative reactions from agriculture, part of the report supported the livestock and whole foods produce industry, using beef, leafy greens and whole milk as examples of excellent sources of nutrition. Section One, titled “The shift to ultra-processed foods” stated the following. 

• “Research also consistently links diets centered on whole foods to lower rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, and mental illness. This is not surprising. Diet and lifestyle significantly influence gene expression and cellular biology—ultimately determining our health outcomes.” 

However, in the same section, many are pushing back on claims made about the oilseed industry’s impact on human health, even though 

oilseeds are backed by the American Heart Association because of their low saturated fats and other health benefits. The MAHA reported stated the following: 

• “Over the course of the 20th century, U.S. dietary fats shifted from minimally processed animal-based sources like butter and lard—rich in fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E, supporting brain and immune health—to industrial fats from refined seed oils, such as soybean, corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, and canola. Industrial refining reduces micronutrients, such as vitamin E and phytosterols. Moreover, these oils contribute to an imbalanced omega-6/omega-3 ratio, a topic of ongoing research for its potential role in inflammation.” 

In a statement released by Iowa Corn Growers, the organization expressed disappointment the commission’s report reflected negatively on agriculture and farmers for the practices they employ, how they care for the land and the pride taken in producing safe and healthy food. 

“Farmers should not have to defend themselves against misinformation when decades of scientific research prove these tools are not only safe but essential,” the statement read. “Farmers care deeply about leaving the land better than they found it. The crops farmers grow is the food they feed their own families, and together they strive to ensure that their agricultural products are safe and accessible for everyone who depends on them.”  

Duane Stateler, president of the National Pork Producers Council, implored the leadership in charge of the report to recognize the improvements agriculture has made to advance food production in a safe and efficient manner. 

“Our current system of producing food at scale for a vast and growing nation has unleashed prosperity and opportunity from coast to coast, and it is built on the strength of the shrinking number of us who continue to farm,” Stateler said. “Right now, it is vital for policy makers, members of Congress, and executive branch officials to ensure that America’s food security—and farm families like mine—remain strong, vibrant, and lasting. We urge President Trump to support America’s farmers, who use modern practices to feed 98% of the population. On behalf of my fellow 60,000-plus pork producers and our commitment to continuous improvement, we stand ready and willing to assist and partner in transparent, risk-based research to further the health of our nation.”  

Trump’s executive order that created the MAHA Commission states that a second report will be issued within 80 days and provide policy recommendations. Many are calling upon the president and the commission leaders to correct misleading information in the report. 

“We are carefully examining the nearly 70 pages of contradictory assertions and look forward to further discussions with administration officials,” Duvall said. “President Trump has voiced his trust in farmers many times and we urge him to ensure a transparent process going forward with farmers at the table and sound science—not emotionally charged rhetoric—guiding the conversation.” 

The full report can be read at www.whitehouse.gov/maha/. 

Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].