(NewsNation) — As the “Make America Healthy Again” movement calls for the removal of artificial dyes and additives from food and drinks, a new industry group is pushing for a national policy standard over state bans.
While the group, Americans for Ingredient Transparency, has emerged seemingly endorsing the MAHA agenda, it is financed by food and beverage companies like General Mills, Hormel, Kraft Heinz and other industry lobbying groups, according to the New York Times.
So where is the divide? The group is calling for the Food and Drug Administration to establish a uniform standard on additives, arguing a patchwork of state regulations harms consumers by driving up costs and limiting choices. It also says that “multiple rules for the road create a complex and costly regulatory environment for businesses,” and could put American jobs at risk.
“Every American deserves to know what’s in their food, beverages, and personal care items — and that they’re safe — no matter where they live,” the group states on its website.
This goes against the work the “Make America Healthy Again” movement has been carrying out at the state level. Many of the movement’s wins have come through handshake deals, not federal laws. Most companies’ promises to remove chemicals have no legal teeth, just political pressure.
However, the Environmental Working Group reports nearly 30 states have passed laws or consideration bills this year to restrict artificial dyes and other additives commonly found in packaged foods.
Critics say Americans for Ingredient Transparency is just the latest front group for Big Food, following a playbook that’s helped keep chemicals on U.S. shelves long after they’ve been banned in other countries. Food activist Vani Hari says Washington, D.C., should be the center of the solution instead of the problem.
“It’s important for Americans to understand what we’re up against,” Hari said. “Washington has largely been captured by these food corporations, and that’s why we haven’t had real food chemical reform at the federal level.”
The pushback comes on the heels of Vice President JD Vance praising Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a leading voice for the MAHA movement, for defying convention and disrupting the status quo in American health care.