More than 300 organizations, including the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, have sent a letter to health, agriculture and environmental leaders in D.C. calling for sound science and data to be used by the Make America Healthy Again Commission in upcoming evaluations for products essential to food and agriculture.
The letter, which can be read here, specifically focuses on the importance of pesticides, biotechnology, and food and feed ingredients for farmers and consumers. It also highlights the ways in which these products are already robustly regulated to ensure their safe use.
Pesticides are highlighted by the signatories as being essential to protect crops and ensure U.S. consumers can continue to access a safe, abundant and affordable food supply. Biotechnology is important for improving crop yields and sustainability while also improving nutritional outcomes for consumers. Food and feed products are subject to a robust regulatory framework to certify any ingredients permitted for food use are safe for consumers. If access to any of these products is undermined, it could result in higher food costs for consumers and/or a greater reliance on foreign imports that may be less safe.
“We have long been supporters of quality, science-based regulation to ensure that the products we provide consumers are safe, healthy and nutritious,” said Kentucky farmer Caleb Ragland, American Soybean Association president. “We’re pleased to discuss the long track record of safety around the products we use and the food we grow on our farms. However, it is essential we continue to use credible science and evidence in regulating these products so we can continue to provide safe, affordable food to the American people and consumers around the world.”
The letter was sent to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. It also discusses the importance of retaining quality data standards to prevent misleading or outlier studies from reducing access to much-needed products. The signers expressed openness to working with the Make America Healthy Again Commission on the shared goal of improving health outcomes for all Americans.
“The vegetable-based protein and oils produced by National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) members support a healthy, balanced and affordable diet, backed by decades of research and analysis,” said Devin Mogler, NOPA president and CEO. “We welcome the opportunity presented by the Make America Healthy Again Commission for an informed dialogue on our industry’s contributions to a healthier America and continued support for a science and risk-based food policy that does not discriminate against ingredients that have long been a cornerstone of modern nutrition and our farm economy.”
