Sioux City Times

U.S. Representatives Randy Feenstra of Iowa and Mark Alford of Missouri, along with Senators Pete Ricketts and Deb Fischer from Nebraska, have addressed a letter to key federal officials. The letter, directed at U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, urges the use of scientifically sound, risk-based analyses in the ongoing work of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission.

The lawmakers emphasize the importance of these approaches, specifically regarding crop protection tools, biotechnology, and food and feed-grade ingredients. The letter asserts, "We write to express our strong appreciation for your leadership and interest in working with each of you to ensure America has the healthiest people in the world. In recent decades, chronic illness rates have risen. This warrants our careful scrutiny to support better health outcomes."

Expressing concern over potential influence from environmental activists, the lawmakers argue that these groups might undermine the commission's work. They write, "We have concerns that environmentalists are advancing harmful health, economic, or food security policies under the guise of human health." The letter further notes that regular testing by the FDA and USDA indicates more than 99% of pesticide residues comply with EPA's stringent limits.

The lawmakers caution against incomplete scientific approaches, emphasizing that misguided policies could affect U.S. agricultural production, raise food prices, and negatively impact health outcomes. They highlight the potential risks from misrepresenting science regarding common food ingredients, like plant-based oils.

The letter underscores the importance of maintaining a robust, risk-based regulatory system and protecting U.S. farmers and supply chains from disruptions. It concludes with an appeal for policy decisions "grounded in sound science and risk-based analyses" to safeguard agricultural production and health outcomes in America.