The food industry seems to be freaking out over the policy changes that RFK Jr. will bring come January.
According to a recent report (DiNapoli, 2024), food companies like Smuckers, who manufacture the Hostess brand of pre-packaged products, are nervously waiting to see if they can continue with their highly processed and nutritionally low products.
Food companies significantly influence policymaking in the United States, shaping regulations, public health policies, and food-related programs through lobbying, campaign contributions, and influencing school nutrition programs.
It’s no wonder they seem nervous at the change in health policy when RFK Jr. takes over.
What Might Happen To Our Food Supply?
If and when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was to take office and implement his proposed food policies, several changes could occur in the U.S. food product landscape, especially in ingredient standards, production methods, and labeling.
Here is a brief look at what might change:
- Eliminating Harmful Chemicals: Kennedy has advocated banning synthetic pesticides and herbicide sprays, like glyphosate, on wheat because of its link to Celiac disease (Palazzolo, 2024).
- Reducing Food Additives: He also wants to minimize the use of harmful food additives in processed foods (Reuters Staff, 2024).
- Eliminating Food Colors: He wants to eliminate artificial food colors in cereals like Fruit Loops, which would be amazing. For more on artificial food colorings, https://grosseating.com/the-use-of-artificial-colors-in-our-food-supply/
- Healthier School Lunches: He wants to reform school lunch programs and provide healthier lunch options for our kids.
- Reduction in Processed Foods: His policies would discourage the production of ultra-processed foods, emphasizing whole and minimally processed alternatives.
- Increased Focus on Organic Foods: By promoting organic and regenerative farming, Kennedy aims to shift the supply chain toward cleaner, environmentally sustainable products. This could increase the availability and affordability of organic food options.
- Seed Oils & High-Fructose Corn Syrup: RFK Jr. has publicly criticized the use of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in American sodas, contrasting it with the use of cane sugar in Mexican sodas. He has promoted Mexican Coca-Cola as a healthier alternative because it is typically made with cane sugar instead of HFCS (Dhaliwal, 2024). Policies encouraging the removal of seed oils, trans fats, and high-fructose corn syrup might push manufacturers to develop healthier alternatives using natural sweeteners like cane sugar and traditional fats like butter or olive oil. For more on high-fructose corn syrup, https://grosseating.com/the-unhealthy-reality-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup-in-soda/
- Food Labeling Transparency: Additionally, Kennedy will be in charge of updating the next version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Kennedy’s support for better transparency might lead to mandatory labeling of GMOs, additives, and nutritional content, making it easier for people to make informed choices (Palazzolo, 2024).
- Impact on Fast Food and Convenience Foods: To meet the new, more stringent standards, fast food and prepackaged convenience products will need to reconsider their artificial ingredient selections and place more emphasis on natural ingredients.
Challenges and Industry Response
If fully implemented, Kennedy’s policies would likely significantly change how food is produced and marketed in the U.S., with potential benefits for health and sustainability as well as economic and logistical challenges for the food industry.
Whether lawmakers will let Kennedy’s policies be implemented remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: many food producers, especially large corporations, will undoubtedly use all their resources to resist these policy changes.
Transitioning from their cheap, nutritionally low-quality ingredients to organic or clean-label production would be like economic suicide for them.
The food industry will argue that stricter labeling and sourcing cleaner and healthier ingredients could raise costs and disrupt supply chains.
Of course, we all know the real and only reason they will resist is that their profits will shrink, and they will no longer be able to con the American people by ruining their health with substandard food products.
On the other hand, there could be opportunities for smaller, health-focused brands to thrive under these policies.
If RFK Jr. gets approval from Congress to lead the Department of Health and Human Services and overhaul the FDA, this would be an excellent win for Americans who want healthier and cleaner food products for themselves and their kids.
For now, let’s just wait and see!
