Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., testifies before a Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittee hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Health and Human Services, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
RFK Jr.‘s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ report worries farmers, Republicans ahead of release
WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 A highly-anticipated White House report about childhood diseases has provoked a tug-of-war pitting farmers and some prominent Republican lawmakers against health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his 鈥淢ake America Healthy Again鈥 movement ahead of its release.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., testifies before a Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittee hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Health and Human Services, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 A highly-anticipated White House report about childhood diseases has provoked a tug-of-war pitting farmers and some prominent Republican lawmakers against health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his 鈥淢ake America Healthy Again鈥 movement ahead of its release.
President Donald Trump promised a review within 100 days that would analyze the ramifications that U.S. lifestyle 鈥 from the medications prescribed for children to the food served on their school lunch trays 鈥 has on childhood diseases like obesity, depression or attention deficit disorder. The report, led by a so-called 鈥淢AHA Commission,鈥 is expected to be released on Thursday.
Farmers and Republicans are nervous about what the report might say about glyphosate, the ingredient commonly used in pesticides sprayed on crops. Kennedy has denied the report will be unfavorable to farmers.
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Speaking on the Senate floor on Wednesday, Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley warned that farmers have reached out to him, upset they have not been able to provide input on the MAHA report ahead of its release.
鈥淚 hope there is nothing in the MAHA report that jeopardizes the food supply or the livelihood of farmers,鈥 Grassley said.
Last month, a group of 79 Republicans 鈥 including several senators who represent farming states 鈥 echoed similar concerns about the report saying in a to Kennedy that without the products agricultural 鈥測ields and quantity are negatively impacted.鈥
Glyphosate has been available for about 50 years and some farmers say it remains essential for controlling weeds without excessive tilling, helping to conserve both soil and fuel.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a reason why we still use: It works,鈥 said Blake Hurst, a Missouri farmer who is past president of the Missouri Farm Bureau.
Kennedy, though, has built a sizable following over many decades, in part, because of the he’s waged against corporations, including the company that produced weedkiller Roundup. The World Health Organization has labeled that product’s key ingredient, glyphosate, as a probable carcinogen for humans.
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On Wednesday a large group of his supporters sent Kennedy a letter calling on the commission to 鈥渉old the chemical industry鈥 accountable in the report, noting that pressure is mounting.
鈥淓vidence is piling up and the risks from pesticide exposure are undeniable,鈥 the , signed by 360 self-proclaimed MAHA supporters that include farmers, former Kennedy campaign staffers and those who worked with him at his anti-vaccine nonprofit.
Dave Murphy, a fundraiser for Kennedy’s failed presidential bid, said that he submitted studies and comments on pesticides to Trump administration officials for inclusion in the MAHA report but said that there’s 鈥渁 lot of pressure within Washington鈥 over what the final report says on the issue.
During a senate hearing on Wednesday, Kennedy rebutted concerns from Mississippi Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith that the report would 鈥渦nfairly鈥 target farmers.
鈥淭here’s not a single word in them that should worry the American farmer,鈥 Kennedy said of his report. 鈥淲e are not going to do anything to jeopardize that business model.鈥
Kennedy was appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee to discuss the White House’s proposed budget, which would give a $500 million boost for Kennedy鈥檚 鈥淢ake America Healthy Again鈥 initiative. That same proposal also makes deep cuts, including to infectious disease prevention, maternal health and medical research programs.
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In February, Trump signed an executive order establishing a Make America Healthy Again Commission tasked with examining the 鈥渢hreat鈥 that prescription drugs, chemicals and certain food ingredients pose to children.
That review was supposed to be led by several members of the president’s cabinet, including Kennedy, Brooke Rollins, the agriculture secretary, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary and Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health.
Kennedy, who has pledged 鈥渞adical transparency鈥 since taking over the nation’s health department, never convened a public meeting of the commission. The White House only released brief, edited clips from a single, closed-door meeting of the commission held in March.
A White House spokesman called the report, which has not been released, a 鈥渉istoric step,鈥 without sharing further details.
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Associated Press writers David Lieb in Missouri and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed.
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