All Knowledge & Insights By Date

On July 10, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Signatory Agencies) announced an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to “reaffirm their shared commitment to protecting consumers from heavy metals and other contaminants in food.” USDA’s July 10, 2026, press release notes that for decades, USDA, HHS, and EPA have coordinated through the National Residue Program to...

Concerns about microplastics and their effect on human and environmental health are no longer confined to academic literature or environmental advocacy. On April 6, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) elevated the issue in a way that makes it harder for the regulated community to address the issue of microplastics as largely academic or purely speculative. EPA has proposed to add microplastics, for the first time, as a...

I was delighted this week to visit again with Alexandra Dunn, President and Chief Executive Officer of CropLife America (CLA), and my colleague Jim Aidala, to discuss some of the issues facing the crop protection industry. Alex’s amazing career has prepared her well for her demanding job. After graduating from law school and a brief stint in private practice, Alex served as general counsel for the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, then went on to become the Executive...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on December 23, 2025, that under the Trump Administration, EPA “is dramatically expanding its imports investigative capacity and enforcement scope beyond the limited efforts of previous years, launching broader investigations that target illegal pesticide and chemical smuggling operations across multiple sectors to safeguard communities, agricultural integrity, and national security.” According to EPA, this increased enforcement...

On September 9, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy (MAHA Strategy) issued by the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission. This Strategy was required to be submitted to the President by August 12, 2025, based on the findings of the Commission in its Making Our Children Healthy Again report (MAHA Assessment), which was released on May 22, 2025, and is discussed in our blog. In its press release...

On August 13, 2025, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) announced that it petitioned the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the food chain. PEER notes that its petition highlights three human exposure pathways it asks the MAHA Commission to address: Biosolid fertilizers made from sewage sludge contain high levels of PFAS. According to PEER, nearly 20 percent of U.S. agricultural land is estimated to use...

The Make America Healthy Again Commission (MAHA) draft report, released on May 22, 2025, was a spectacular mix of damning claims and interesting “facts.” They all relate to the horrific state of the American diet, manipulation by vested interests controlling Congress, co-opted food safety and drug approval regulatory agencies, with a literally sick population of children addicted to ultra-processed food, electronic screens, and drugs pushed by the medical establishment. The root cause of...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been around for more than 150 years, stressing the importance of American agriculture to a bountiful food production system since Abraham Lincoln first signed it into being in 1862. Lincoln himself, in fact, in his 1864 final annual message to Congress, christened USDA “the people’s Department,” just before commending it “to the continued attention and fostering care of Congress.” From industrialization to the mechanization of farming,...

On May 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of a new federal report, Making Our Children Healthy Again (MAHA Assessment) issued by the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission. The MAHA Commission was established by Executive Order (EO) 14212 to: (a) study the scope of the childhood chronic disease crisis and any potential contributing causes, including the American diet, absorption of toxic material, medical treatments, lifestyle,...

In response to President Trump’s February 13, 2025, Executive Order (EO) 14212, “Establishing The President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission,” the White House issued part of what is being called “The MAHA Report” (with MAHA an acronym for Make America Healthy Again), entitled “Make Our Children Healthy Again: Assessment” (the Assessment) on May 22, 2025. Section One of the Assessment, “The Shift to Ultra-Processed Foods,” includes the Commission’s thoughts on the...