Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy Report: Food and Nutrition Recommendations

Key Takeaways

• On September 9, 2025, the “Make America Healthy Again Commission,” (the Commission) chaired by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., issued the “” (the Strategy Report), which includes several recommendations related to food and nutrition.
• The Strategy Report’s food and nutrition recommendations emphasize more research and updated guidance rather than major new regulatory changes, signaling limited immediate policy shifts.
• Stakeholders interested in food and nutrition issues have an opportunity to engage with the agencies tasked with these initiatives.

Overview

On September 9, 2025, the “Make America Healthy Again Commission,” established pursuant to President Trump’s February 13, 2025 and chaired by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., issued the “” (Strategy Report).

The Strategy Report outlines the Administration’s plan to address childhood chronic disease. The report is broad and spans issue areas including vaccines, food, nutrition, chemical exposure, physical activity, and medical practices for a comprehensive overview of the full report). This alert focuses specifically on the Administration’s stated goals around food and nutrition and organizes such goals around the federal entities charged with implementation under the Strategy Report. As with most initiatives in the report, the descriptions of these proposed initiatives related to food and nutrition are short on detail and come against a backdrop of significant funding cuts to the agencies and programs charged with their implementation and, more broadly, to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) under HR 1. Recognizing the current uncertainty around next steps, stakeholders with an interest in these areas have an opportunity to engage with federal entities and explore what action could look like in these spaces.

The Strategy Report offers 30 proposed initiatives addressing food and nutrition. Most of these initiatives (19) are classified as actions to “realign incentives,” which the Commission describes as “policy reforms, deregulation and structural improvements to advance innovation.” Five (5) of the initiatives are focused on fostering collaboration with the private sector, four (4) are focused on improving nutrition/food focused research, and two (2) focus on increasing public awareness. Not surprisingly, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and HHS (and most prominently the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)), will be involved in the majority of these actions.

For stakeholders in health and nutrition, the report signals federal attention to these issues with limited immediate policy shifts. Stakeholders wanting to provide input can use this guide to easily understand which federal entity is tasked with each action. The Manatt Food and Nutrition team will be closely monitoring any next steps from the Administration and working with clients to understand the impacts of these initiatives as they unfold.

Key Initiatives Related to Food and Nutrition

View the entire table .

Acronyms Key

ACF: Administration for Children and Families

AHA: Administration for a Healthy America

CDC: Centers for Disease Control

CMS: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

DoD: U.S. Department of Defense

FDA: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

ED: U.S. Department of Education

FTC: Federal Trade Commission

EPA: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

NIH: National Institutes of Health

USDA: U.S. Department of Agriculture

VA: Veterans Affairs

Manatt’s Food and Nutrition Experience

The link between nutrition and chronic disease is no longer up for debate—it is a driving force in population health. From obesity and diabetes to depression and heart disease, the food we eat is central to both prevention and treatment. Policymakers, providers, payers, and—importantly—consumers are increasingly focused on how improving access to nutritious food can reduce health care costs, improve outcomes, and reshape how care is delivered. Manatt helps clients navigate this evolving landscape, shaping federal and state policies, redesigning business models, and developing strategies that increase access to healthy food and improve health.

To learn more about our Food and Nutrition experience click or reach out to one of our team members: , , , , , or .

About Manatt Health

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