On the heels of yesterday’s report released by the Make America Healthy Again Commission, industry organizations are calling for science-based agricultural policy.
In a statement, the Modern Ag Alliance said the report raises the possibility that the federal government could take a position to restrict farmers’ access to crop protection tools, undermine existing science-based frameworks and ultimately jeopardize the affordability and security of the U.S. food supply.
“Farmers are already facing a host of challenges — uncertainty about their access to critical crop protection products shouldn’t be added to the list,” said Elizabeth Burns-Thompson, executive director of the Modern Ag Alliance. “Crop protection tools are not only safe, they are essential to food security, affordability and the survival of family farms all across this country. Losing access to these critical inputs would be a devastating setback to American agriculture.”
The organization shared insights from those in the agribusiness industry, including Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, who said, “Georgia growers need access to safe and reliable crop protection tools to compete in the global marketplace. Deemed safe for over 50 years by numerous studies, glyphosate is a key tool for Georgia growers that allows our farmers to grow the fresh produce that feeds our country.”
CropLife America, which represents the U.S. pesticide industry, said the report will stir unjustified fear and confusion among U.S. consumers.
“Pesticides are thoroughly studied and highly regulated for safety,” said Alexandra Dunn, president and CEO of CropLife America. “While the Make America Healthy Again Report recognizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s robust and science-based decision-making, it unfairly casts doubt on the integrity of the federal review process. We commend champions of agriculture in this administration and in Congress that have heard the voice of farmers.”
CropLife America also pointed to the extended test process for pesticides.
“Pesticides undergo more than a decade of rigorous testing and review before being approved for use by the U.S. EPA,” said Manojit Basu, vice president of science policy and regulatory affairs at CropLife America. “This science-based process considers potential risk to humans, animals and the environment, and ensures that pesticides can be safely applied when used as directed.”
IFPA weighs in
While the International Fresh Produce Association commended the report’s commitment to addressing the nation’s diet-related health crisis and its specific acknowledgment of the importance of fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops to U.S. consumers and the farm economy that feeds them, it also noted some “questionable assertions” made by the commission.
“With nine in 10 Americans not meeting fruit and vegetable consumption targets and up to half of children under age five not consuming a vegetable daily, the commission must focus on evidence-based interventions that will increase fruit and vegetable consumption and support policies that ensure the prosperity of U.S. growers who dutifully provide an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables for Americans every day,” IFPA said in a statement following the report’s release.
The statement went on to say that IFPA continues to stand by its MAHA recommendations released earlier this year and looks forward to “opportunities for the fresh produce sector to engage in shaping policies that will improve health outcomes for all Americans.”
IFPA said that while there is room for improvement in nutrition policy, there has been success with the WIC program, which it said has proven effective in improving health outcomes, largely due to its fruit and vegetable benefits.
“Additionally, the National School Lunch Program provides a daily fruit and vegetable to the 30 million students who participate and rely on this meal daily. As a result, school lunch is the healthiest meal most children — regardless of socio-economic status — will eat during their day,” the IFPA statement said.
The association’s statement also addressed aspects of the report it said may confuse U.S. consumers about food safety.
“The report’s focus on the practices and scale of food production, while inclusive of many opinions, includes some questionable assertions, some contrary to federal regulatory findings, and conflicting claims that could confuse Americans about the safety of their food,” the statement said. “In its following report, we hope the commission will collaborate more closely with farmers and producers to make recommendations that ensure the United States remains the world’s gold standard of risk-based, data-driven scientific decision-making, founded on transparency, public-private research and innovation.”
