Several U.S. farm commodity groups and the American Farm Bureau Federation did not hold back in criticizing portions of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) commission report released Thursday.
American Soybean Association: “The American Soybean Association strongly rebukes the May 22 Make America Healthy Again Commission report for being brazenly unscientific and damaging to consumer confidence in America’s safe, reliable food system. Should the administration act on the report—which was drafted entirely behind closed doors— it will harm U.S. farmers, increase food costs for consumers, and worsen health outcomes for all Americans. ASA calls on President Trump, who has long been a friend of farmers, to step in and correct the Commission’s deeply misguided report.
“Farmers represented by ASA are disturbed the MAHA report contains recommendations that are not at all grounded in science and seem to advance the agenda of food elitists and activist groups that have long sought to undermine U.S. agriculture. These developments are even more troubling after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. falsely assured members of Congress earlier in the week of the report’s release that, “there is not a single word in [the report] that should worry the American farmer.”
“ASA Director Alan Meadows grows soybeans in Halls, Tennessee. As ASA’s Regulatory Committee Chairman, he understands explicitly the implications of the MAHA report and spoke to the deep concerns of he and ASA’s full farmer board: “Both farmers and members of Congress tried to warn the administration that activist groups were trying to hijack the MAHA Commission to advance their longstanding goal of harming U.S. farmers. Reading this report, it appears that is exactly what has happened.”
“MAHA’s misleading report suggests glyphosate, atrazine and other pesticides essential to farmers are potential contributors to health ailments.
“Activist organizations and trial lawyers are already engaged in baseless lawfare on pesticides. By bizarrely, without reason singling out two specific pesticides, the administration has offered activists a gift on a silver platter. Those groups will be poised to use the report to advance litigation aimed at taking away these tools American farmers use safely and effectively to produce our food,” Meadows said. “It is sad — and downright unjust—that, because of this one unfounded report, those decisions likely will be made by a judge and the court of public opinion instead of the regulatory system created for these very decisions and based on years and reams of credible science and research.”
“In addition to repeated safety findings from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ASA notes that glyphosate was recently re-approved by the European Union for 10 years after finding it safe. These findings follow similar conclusions from regulators in Canada, Japan, the UK, Australia, South Korea, and elsewhere.
“Concerningly, this report may also undermine national security. If domestic manufacturers exit the market due to increased and unfounded liability created by the report, the U.S. will be almost entirely reliant on China—which currently produces more than 80% of the world’s glyphosate—for continued supplies of this essential agricultural tool.
“ASA is also disturbed the report implies seed oils are contributors to reduced human health. Significant research conducted over decades shows that plant-based oils are low in saturated fats and can improve health outcomes. For example, a March 2025 study from the Journal of the American Medical Association found after following more than 220,000 individuals for more than 30 years that frequent consumption of plant-based oils led to a 16% reduction in cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other ailments when compared to alternatives high in saturated fat.
“This is truly a case of saying up is down and down is up,” Meadows said. “We’re discouraging people from consuming heart-healthy oils and driving them to instead use fats that will make them less healthy and cost them more in the process. This is the exact opposite of what our government should be doing.”
“A third-party economic study released in April and conducted on behalf of ASA and the United Soybean Board found that removing seed oils from the food supply could increase consumer costs for edible fats and oils by as much as 42%.
“The Executive Order creating the MAHA Commission directs that a second report be issued within 80 days of this report, providing policy recommendations based on the findings of the first report.
“U.S. soybean farmers call on President Trump to intervene and correct the glaring misinformation and anti-farmer findings in this first report. Further, farmers implore the president to create a process for public input for any follow-up reports to ensure activists cannot again use a closed-door process to harm American farmers and consumers.”
National Corn Growers Association: “The Make America Healthy Again Commission today released its long-awaited report, which denigrates the safety of key pesticides used by corn growers and other farmers. In response, the National Corn Growers Association released the following statement:
“The Make America Healthy Again Report is filled with fear-based rather than science-based information about pesticides. We are deeply troubled that claims of this magnitude are being made without any scientific basis or regard for a long history of EPA expert evaluations of these products.
“Decades of extensive research and testing show that pesticides, including atrazine and glyphosate, can be applied safely for their intended uses. If the administration’s goal is to bring more efficiency to government, then why is the secretary of Health and Human Services duplicating efforts by raising questions about pesticides that have been answered repeatedly through research and reviews by federal regulatory bodies?
“We call on the administration to respect the existing body of science on pesticides and, moving forward, to include America’s farmers in discussion as this process evolves.”
National Association of Wheat Growers: “Today, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission released its much anticipated Making Our Children Healthy Again Report. The contents of this report have the potential to significantly impact America’s farmers, producers and ranchers, and the public’s trust in our food system. However, it is important to note that the EPA is still the agency in charge of regulating pesticides and while the assertions made in this report do have an impact, the recommendations made in this report are not legally binding. In response, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Pat Clements issued the following statement.
“NAWG is deeply concerned with the content and implications of the MAHA Commission’s report. Throughout the process, NAWG and other agricultural stakeholders have worked in good faith to provide the commission with accurate, science-based information about modern food production practices in the United States. Wheat growers are proud stewards of the land and are committed to producing safe, healthy food for families here at home and around the world. Unfortunately, the report contains misleading claims that could undermine public trust in our nation’s food system.
“We urge the Trump administration to ensure that the MAHA Commission’s future work is guided by sound science and peer-reviewed research. American consumers deserve facts — not fear — when it comes to how their food is grown and produced.”
National Cotton Council: “The U.S. cotton industry said it is disappointed with the Make America Healthy Again Commission’s report. Over the decades, the Environmental Protection Agency has subjected pesticides to rigorous review and eliminated those that were deemed unsafe. Our current products have been tested and re-tested to protect the farmer, the environment, and the consumer.”
“Cotton producers have made significant strides in conscientious pesticide usage,” said cotton producer and NCC Chairman, Patrick Johnson. “Crop protection tools such as glyphosate are vital for the continued sustainability of family farms here in the U.S.”
Regarding the report’s comments on microplastics, Johnson added “Cotton growers produce a natural fiber that is a healthy alternative to synthetic microfibers such as polyester. It is unfortunate that the Commission focused more on products that are known to be safe rather than on hazards such as microplastics, shed from synthetic clothing, that our children breathe. We urge U.S. agencies to continue to allow sound science to guide future policy decisions, and America’s cotton industry needs a seat at the table in this effort going forward.”
The Sugar Association: “America’s hardworking sugarbeet and sugarcane farmers agree that chronic diseases are serious and warrant attention and rigorous scientific review to determine their root causes. We are confident that continued evaluation of gold-standard evidence will reaffirm what hundreds of years of history have indicated — that balanced diets have room for moderate amounts of real sugar, which plays many important functional roles in foods and generally cannot be removed without adding industrial additives like artificial sweeteners that Americans prefer to avoid.
“Added sugars currently make up around 12% of Americans’ total calories - the lowest level in 40 years and near the lowest level ever recorded (11% in 1909). The steep decline in added sugars intake over the past 25 years has coincided with rising rates of childhood obesity and chronic disease.”
“We support effective, evidence-based strategies that focus on reducing overconsumption of products that most contribute to excess calorie intake, while avoiding unintended consequences like the proliferation of industrial additives like artificial sweeteners in food - far beyond their well-known and easily recognized use in diet beverages and colorful packets in restaurants.”
American Farm Bureau Federation. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented: “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, then attempts to celebrate farmers and the critical role they play in producing the safest food supply in the world.
“Farmers are identified as ‘critical partners,’ yet were excluded from development of the report, despite many requests for a seat at the table. The report also expresses a desire to ensure farmers continue to thrive, but undermining confidence in our food system directly contradicts that noble goal. The report spotlights outlier studies and presents unproven theories that feed a false narrative and only then does it acknowledge a mountain of evidence about the safety of our food system.
“We suspect USDA had a prominent role in the report’s recognition that farmers are the critical first step in the food system, but as a whole, the report falls short. The American people were promised transparency yet presented with a report developed in secret.
“As a farmer myself, I can confidently say that farmers and ranchers share the goal of improving health outcomes in America. They’re dedicated to continuous improvement, guided by sound science and technological advances.
“We are carefully examining the nearly 70 pages of contradictory assertions and look forward to further discussions with administration officials. President Trump has voiced his trust in farmers many times and we urge him to ensure a transparent process going forward with farmers at the table and sound science — not emotionally charged rhetoric — guiding the conversation.”
National Grain and Feed Association: “The approximately 700 companies and cooperatives represented by NGFA play an essential role in rural economies and in delivering value from the farm gate to consumers. Our members, and the farmers and workers they support, are a cornerstone of what makes America great.
“The United States has long enjoyed the safest and most affordable food supply in the world. While we support science-based policies to constantly improve U.S. agriculture and safeguard public health, efforts based on unfounded or incomplete assumptions threaten to undermine that system. The MAHA Commission’s report makes several concerning assertations with potential ripple effects on the grain and feed industry, including calls for reevaluating ingredients used in food and feed, incorrect statements regarding seed oils and processed grains, and increasing scrutiny of the safe and effective inputs our farmers depend on to produce food for the world.
“NGFA is closely reviewing the report and will continue working with the broader agricultural community and the Trump administration to ensure that policymaking is rooted in sound science and respects the vital role of American agriculture in nourishing the American public and fueling the American economy.”