MAHA strategy flip flops on pesticides

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST: The MAHA report on kids' health reveals a divide between what the Make America Healthy Again movement has been pushing for in the way of healthier food and less exposure to pesticides and what steps the administration is committing to take. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports, with no mandates to reduce ultra-processed foods or curb chemical use, the strategy has found both critics and supporters. ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE: When the MAHA commission released its first report in May, it raised concerns about exposure to chemicals. It listed a range of chemicals, including PFAs, microplastics and pesticides and noted some kids are exposed to alarming levels. The commission says exposure to chemicals is one potential driver of chronic disease. But the new strategy released by Health Secretary Kennedy strikes a different tone, says Dr. Philip Landrigan, a pediatrician and professor at Boston College. PHILIP LANDRIGAN: This report says almost nothing about toxic chemicals and their effects on human health. It seems like a complete break from what Secretary Kennedy talked about. AUBREY: When Kennedy was an environmental lawyer, he spoke out frequently against the use of agricultural pesticides and herbicides. During the 2024 campaign, he made statements vowing to ban some agricultural chemicals that are already restricted in other countries. And the MAHA movement applauded him. But the Environmental Working Group's president, Ken Cook, says that talk of change is gone, and the final report reflects the influence of pesticide makers. KEN COOK: We have been up against the pesticide industry for 30-plus years, and I know the mark of industry lobbying when I see it. AUBREY: After the May report was released, which raised concerns about pesticides, farm groups let it be known they were not happy. The American Farm Bureau Federation released a statement from its president saying, quote, "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," and said it shared the goal of improving health in America. And CropLife America, a trade group of companies that make pest management chemicals, said the report included, quote, "misleading and alarming statements" about pesticides. The group then compiled 17 recommendations it wanted to see in the final strategy report, including to, quote, "reiterate the robust, respected process used by EPA to review pesticides before and after regulation." Dr. Landrigan and Ken Cook say this is an endorsement of the status quo, not a call for change. COOK: We simply looked at the response from the pesticide industry trade group and compared it to what was in the May report and in this report. And this report really looks like they just took exactly what the pesticide industry wanted. AUBREY: Cook says the strategy calls for doubling down on the current regulatory framework. COOK: All of the promises that were made during the campaign, pushing hard on this MAHA agenda, those promises clearly are not going to be kept. AUBREY: Meanwhile, the Farm Bureau put out a statement in support of the new MAHA strategy. The group's president said, quote, "we appreciate the commission's willingness to meet with farmers (ph), hear our concerns and develop smart solutions." Allison Aubrey, NPR News. Copyright © 2025 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.