WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture last week unveiled a sweeping slate of new initiatives aimed at tackling childhood chronic disease, expanding farm-to-school programs, and providing disaster relief for livestock producers hit by floods and wildfires.
At the center of the effort is the Make America Healthy Again Commission’s release of its “Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy,” a plan outlining more than 120 actions across government and the private sector. The commission, chaired by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is charged with investigating the roots of rising childhood chronic disease and crafting solutions.
“This strategy represents the most sweeping reform agenda in modern history—realigning our food and health systems, driving education, and unleashing science to protect America’s children and families,” Kennedy said.
The plan calls for reforms to federal dietary guidelines, tougher food labeling, and removal of harmful chemicals from the food supply. It also highlights expanded research into nutrition and chronic disease, changes to Medicaid quality metrics, and new efforts to improve food in schools and hospitals. Other proposals include restoring whole milk in schools, streamlining organic certification, and launching nationwide campaigns on nutrition, screen time, and pediatric mental health.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins tied the commission’s work directly to farming and food production. “America’s farmers and ranchers are at the heart of the solution—alongside doctors, parents, and communities—to fight chronic disease and protect future generations,” Rollins said. She pointed to voluntary industry commitments to remove artificial food dyes, state efforts to limit junk food in assistance programs, and a new regenerative farming pilot program.
The USDA also announced the opening of applications for the 2026 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grants, with up to \$18 million available to connect local farmers with child nutrition programs. The program, first launched in 2013, has funded more than 1,200 projects nationwide. Rollins said the redesigned grants are intended to “open new doors for small family farms, expand access to healthy food in schools, and inspire the next generation of Great American Farmers.”
In addition, USDA rolled out a \$1 billion relief program for livestock producers hit by floods and wildfires in 2023 and 2024. The Emergency Livestock Relief Program will help offset supplemental feed costs, with eligible producers able to apply through October 31. Payments will be capped at \$125,000 per program year, though larger operations may request exceptions.
“USDA is standing shoulder to shoulder with America’s farmers and ranchers, delivering the resources they need to stay in business, feed their families, and keep our food supply strong,” Rollins said.
The initiatives underscore the Trump administration’s push to link health outcomes, food policy, and disaster assistance under a broad agenda aimed at what officials describe as “making America healthy again.”
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