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Weekly Newsletter | April 11, 2025

Food & Nutrition


HHS Secretary Kennedy Travels on MAHA Tour to Support State Initiatives 

This week, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. traveled to Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico to support the states’ various "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) initiatives. These state initiatives include bans on select food additives, restrictions on food and beverages that can be purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and the ban on the addition of fluoride in public drinking water. During the tour, Secretary Kennedy shared his support for Utah’s recently enacted law that directed the state to request a USDA waiver to ban the purchase of soft drinks with SNAP benefits. In Arizona, Kennedy also touted the state’s pending legislation that would ban “ultraprocessed foods” in school meals and a separate bill that would request a USDA waiver to ban the purchase of soda with SNAP benefits - both of which were sent to the Governor’s desk. This state-level activity comes as HHS Secretary Kennedy and USDA Secretary Rollins have expressed support for other states to submit SNAP waivers and to advance similar MAHA-aligned policies. Meanwhile, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen also signed a letter of intent to USDA Secretary Rollins to request a waiver to ban the purchase of soda and energy drinks with SNAP benefits.


Senate Votes to Confirm Dr. Mehmet Oz as CMS Administrator 

The Senate voted 53-43 to confirm the nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Under this position, Dr. Oz will join HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins in pursuing the agency’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.


FDA Extends Comment Period for Request for Information on Poppy Seeds

FDA extended the comment period for the agency’s request for information (RFI) on industry practices related to poppy seeds, such as information about growing, harvesting, processing, and distribution of poppy seeds, including industry practices to reduce the opiate alkaloid content of poppy seeds. The comment period was extended for an additional 60 days, from April 15, 2025, until June 16, 2025. 


Congress Introduces NO TIME TO Waste Act to Reduce Food Loss and Waste

Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Senator Christopher Coons (D-DE) reintroduced the New Opportunities for Technological Innovation, Mitigation, and Education To Overcome Waste Act (NO TIME TO Waste Act) that would direct USDA to reduce food loss and waste (FLW). The legislation, introduced in the House and Senate, would authorize the collaboration between the USDA, EPA, and FDA to reduce FLW by 50% by 2030 and establish an Office of Food Loss and Waste to support the role of the Food Loss and Waste Liaison, strengthen research on FLW and new technologies, and quantify the impact of current FLW policies on greenhouse gas emissions. The bill would also seek to strengthen USDA research programs to include FLW as part of their priorities and launch a national public awareness and education campaign to educate households on the impacts of FLW and in developing educational materials.


On a related note, Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME) relaunched the Congressional Food Recovery Caucus in an effort to reduce food loss and waste across the U.S. food supply chain. The Food Recovery Caucus, first launched in 2018, intends to educate Congress members and staff, support federal efforts to reduce food loss and waste, and highlight successful food rescue initiatives.

Global


UK Advisory Committee Updates Position Statement on Processed Foods

The UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published an updated position statement following the release of its 2023 statement on the association of processed foods and adverse health outcomes. The updated position statement considered new evidence published since March 2023 and concluded similar findings, which reported that increased ultra-processed foods (UPF) consumption was associated with increased risks of adverse health outcomes. The statement evaluated existing classification systems of processed foods, including UPFs and the NOVA classification. However, limitations in the evidence base and concerns about the use of the NOVA classification remain. SACN intends to keep the topic of processed foods and health under its annual review and consider the topic again in 2026.

Fun Fact: Applesauce was the first food eaten in space.

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