by WWhen Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attends his confirmation hearing for his potential position as head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), he will face scrutiny for his vaccine skepticism and unorthodox views on medicine. But there is one area where Kennedy may be able to find bipartisan support: food policy.
Kennedy has spoken out against the dangers of highly processed foods, additives and the influence of large corporations on food production. While his anti-vaccination views have drawn widespread criticism, his stance on combating chronic disease by ridding the nation’s food supply of harmful chemicals and ingredients largely aligns with efforts on both sides of the political aisle and has been praised by leading public health experts .
Kennedy’s appointment as head of HHS would enable him to directly influence policy surrounding food regulation, nutritional standards and federal dietary guidelines. Jerold Mande, a former senior adviser to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and deputy undersecretary for food safety at the Department of Agriculture under two Democratic presidents, says there is “remarkable, strong bipartisan concern about highly processed foods.”
As HHS secretary, Kennedy would oversee the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has the authority to regulate food safety and nutrition labels. One of the most important tools at Kennedy’s disposal, Mande said, is HHS’s involvement in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a document that shapes federal nutrition advice. The guidelines, updated every five years, serve as the basis for public health policy as well as food assistance programs and government food purchasing. The process is political, with each government shaping the guidelines according to their priorities. “It’s like the phases of the moon,” Mande says of the HHS role. “It is currently at the peak of its performance. It is highly unusual for dietary guidelines to span two administrations like this, with work beginning in one but being completed in the other.”
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For Kennedy, overseeing the dietary guidelines process could provide a platform to enforce stricter recommendations against highly processed foods — particularly those loaded with sugar, fat and harmful additives. He has pledged to immediately remove processed foods from school cafeterias and increase efforts to combat diet-related chronic diseases, an issue he says has been neglected by both major parties. In addition, Kennedy has been vocal about limiting the use of pesticides and restricting seed oils such as canola and sunflower, which he says are contributing to growing health problems in America. He has also called for a ban on artificial food colors, such as those used in Froot Loops, which he says have negative effects on children’s health. “We need to stop giving our children poison and give them real, healthy food again,” Kennedy posted on X on November 2nd.
Kennedy has criticized the FDA for being too lenient on food additives and processing standards. If confirmed, he would likely push for stricter regulations, clearer food labeling and more transparency on harmful additives. President-elect Donald Trump, who nominated Kennedy for the office, said he would allow Kennedy to “go for the meal” after Kennedy dropped his own independent presidential bid and endorsed him.
At a Senate hearing on Thursday, FDA officials were questioned about the agency’s repeated delays in implementing a proposed rule that would require health labels to be placed on the front of food and beverage packages that indicate high sodium, saturated levels when levels rise Fat or added sugar levels would indicate obesity rates. “How long does it take to put a bloody label on a product?” asked Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont and chairman of the Senate Health Committee. FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said the delay was necessary to ensure that any proposed rule would withstand potential legal challenges, citing recent Supreme Court rulings that have curtailed the power of federal agencies.
Sanders went on to say after the hearing that he agreed with some of Kennedy’s positions on food policy, particularly his criticism that the food industry puts profits over public health. “I think what he says about the food industry is spot on,” he told CBS News. “You have a food industry that cares about its profits and cares less about the health of the American people. I think it needs to be addressed.”
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But any regulatory action would likely clash with the agricultural industry and major food companies, which have long lobbied against changes they say are harmful to their bottom lines. The food lobby — which includes processed food, agriculture and biotechnology companies — has long fought efforts to tighten regulations on ingredients, labeling and food production practices. Kennedy’s call for stricter regulations on pesticides and agricultural chemicals could also anger some Republicans who have traditionally opposed government regulations, especially when they interfere with companies’ ability to operate freely.
Beyond industry opposition, Kennedy may also face practical challenges in funding his initiatives. The FDA’s food division operates on a shoestring budget and relies on appropriations from Congress rather than the self-funding user fees that fund the agency’s drug division. Mande points out that fiscal constraints have hampered previous efforts to implement major food reforms, and Kennedy may face similar difficulties. “They have less than $25 million for their nutrition work,” Mande says of the FDA’s budget. “They are unable to make a difference in this area because Congress is not funding them.”
Yet even some of Kennedy’s positions on food and nutrition are controversial. His proposal to overhaul the FDA’s food division also includes his desire to fire the agency’s nutritionists for “not doing their jobs,” a stance that has raised concerns among some public health experts. Such a drastic move could further complicate his confirmation, particularly among Democrats and public health advocates who are already wary of his broader views. Kennedy has accused the FDA of “aggressive suppression” of various products, including raw milk and hydroxychloroquine. He has previously promoted the consumption of raw milk, claiming that it “promotes human health,” even though both the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have warned that consuming raw milk can expose people to dangerous bacteria , such as E. coli and listeria. Kennedy also opposes adding fluoride to drinking water, a practice that promotes oral health and has been a cornerstone of U.S. public health policy for decades, citing studies that suggest a link between high levels of fluoride in drinking water and neurobehavioral problems.
The Senate confirmation process will also examine Kennedy’s views on vaccines. Public health officials are deeply concerned about the possibility of putting one of the country’s leading anti-vaxxers at the helm of HHS, an agency responsible for overseeing the safety of vaccines. “Some would say what he says about dieting and [the] “The importance of healthy foods is common sense,” Sen. Edward Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, said Thursday during the Senate Health Committee hearing with FDA representatives. “A single reasonable opinion, however, does not authorize the administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.”
