April 6, 2025

A look into RFK Jr.’s food safety reforms as HHS Secretary reveals resistance from Big Food lobbying and bipartisan political funding, with over $37 million spent in 2024 to protect the GRAS system.

A Bold Push for Food Safety Reform

Since taking office as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on February 13, 2025, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made food safety reform a cornerstone of his “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative. His primary target is the FDA’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) program, a policy allowing companies like Kraft Heinz and PepsiCo to self-certify food additives without oversight. On March 10, 2025, he directed the FDA to tighten GRAS regulations, prioritizing transparency, as reported by The Guardian. The next day, he pressed executives from PepsiCo and General Mills to eliminate artificial dyes, according to The New York Times. Additional efforts include launching the Chemical Contaminants Transparency Tool and signaling a revised food pyramid via social media on April 3. These steps aim to combat diet-related health crises, but resistance is mounting as of April 6, 2025.

Big Food’s Financial Counteroffensive

The food industry’s lobbying power is formidable. OpenSecrets data shows the Food Processing & Sales sector spent $37,133,791 in 2024, with Food & Beverage adding $29,308,769. Kraft Heinz invested $880,000 to shape regulatory outcomes, while Tyson Foods’ PAC donated $316,500, PepsiCo’s $136,387, and General Mills’ $129,500 to federal candidates. Nestlé’s 2024 lobbying isn’t fully detailed, but past spending of $1.5 million suggests parity. The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates agribusiness lobbying exceeded $500 million from 2019 to 2023, a trend protecting the GRAS system’s flexibility. Industry experts warn that GRAS reform could spark legal battles, a scenario Big Food is prepared to leverage, per AgFunderNews.

Bipartisan Political Funding and Influence

Food industry campaign contributions reach across party lines, targeting lawmakers on committees overseeing food safety. OpenSecrets reports $3,263,738 in PAC donations in 2024, split 52% Republican, 48% Democrat. Six key recipients—three from each party—illustrate this influence:

• Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): Senate Agriculture Committee member from Iowa’s agribusiness heartland. His 2019-2024 contributions total $8.3 million, with food PACs contributing an estimated $50,000+ historically. He’s engaged RFK Jr. on industry needs, per BBC.
• Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI): Former Senate Agriculture chair, retiring in 2025. She received $25,000 from food PACs in 2022, likely consistent in 2024, influencing Democratic peers.
• Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA): House Agriculture Committee chair. He secured over $20,000 from agribusiness in 2022, with comparable support expected in 2024, shaping food policy.
• Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ): House Energy and Commerce ranking member, with FDA oversight. He collected $15,000 from food PACs in 2022, a likely 2024 trend.
• Sen. John Boozman (R-AR): Senate Agriculture chair from Tyson Foods’ state. He gained $47,500 from food interests in 2022, with 2024 similar.
• Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ): Senate Agriculture member. He received over $20,000 from food PACs in 2022, including Nestlé, balancing equity advocacy.

These figures oversee FDA budgets and regulations, potentially slowing RFK Jr.’s food reform efforts.

Internal Struggles Amplify External Pressure

RFK Jr.’s reforms face internal hurdles. His cuts of 10,000 HHS jobs, including 3,500 at the FDA, prompted resignations from James Jones (February 17) and Peter Marks (March 28), who criticized a “dismantled” agency, per STAT. Social media reports suggest staff are restricting data access as of March 28, complicating reform execution. Big Food’s $37 million lobbying budget exploits this instability, bolstered by political allies.

Public Health at a Crossroads

Reforming GRAS could address the 1,000 weekly diet-related deaths reported by NPR, but a weakened FDA risks oversight gaps, as noted by Civil Eats. Public opinion splits: supporters laud RFK Jr.’s “ingredient transparency” on April 5 via social media, while critics highlight vulnerabilities. Big Food’s financial heft—Kraft Heinz’s $880,000, Tyson’s $316,500—poses a steep challenge.

Conclusion

As of April 6, 2025, RFK Jr.’s food safety reforms confront a powerful alliance of industry lobbying and bipartisan political funding. With $37 million in lobbying and $3.2 million in contributions from firms like Kraft Heinz and PepsiCo, the path to change is fraught. The debate persists: Are these funds safeguarding industry interests or obstructing public health?

Have insights on food industry influence? Reach out via our “Contact Us” page at AshesOnAir.org. Stay informed with AshesOnAir.org’s ongoing coverage.

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Key Sources Cited

• AgFunderNews: “RFK Jr takes aim at self-GRAS process, but what does it mean in practice?” https://agfundernews.com/rfk-jr-takes-aim-at-self-gras-process-but-what-does-it-mean-in-practice
• BBC: “RFK Jr: Fact-checking his views on health policy,” February 12, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mzk2y41zvo
• CBS News: “RFK Jr. purges CDC and FDA’s public records teams, despite ‘transparency’ promises,” April 1, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-purges-cdc-fda-records-transparency-teams/
• Civil Eats: “RFK Jr.’s Cuts Could Leave FDA Short-Staffed Amid Food Safety Push,” March 27, 2025. https://civileats.com/2025/03/27/rfk-jr-cuts-could-leave-fda-short-staffed-amid-food-safety-push/
• HHS.gov: “HHS, FDA Announce Chemical Contaminants Transparency Tool for Foods.” https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/hhs-fda-announce-chemical-contaminants-transparency-tool-foods
• NPR: “Diet-Related Deaths Continue to Rise, Sparking Debate Over Food Policy,” November 16, 2024. https://www.npr.org/2024/11/16/diet-related-deaths-food-policy-debate
• OpenSecrets: “Food Processing & Sales Lobbying Profile, 2024.” https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/industries/summary?id=A09
• OpenSecrets: “Food & Beverage Lobbying Profile, 2024.” https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/industries/summary?id=N01
• OpenSecrets: “Kraft Heinz Co Profile, 2024.” https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/kraft-heinz-co/summary?id=D000067808
• OpenSecrets: “Food Processing & Sales PACs Contributions to Candidates, 2023-2024.” https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/industry-detail/A09/2024
• OpenSecrets: “Sen. Chuck Grassley – Campaign Finance Summary.” https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/chuck-grassley/summary?cid=N00001758
• OpenSecrets: “Sen. Debbie Stabenow – Campaign Finance Summary.” https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/debbie-stabenow/summary?cid=N00004118
• OpenSecrets: “Rep. Glenn Thompson – Campaign Finance Summary.” https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/glenn-thompson/summary?cid=N00042922
• OpenSecrets: “Rep. Frank Pallone – Campaign Finance Summary.” https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/frank-pallone/summary?cid=N00000781
• OpenSecrets: “Sen. John Boozman – Campaign Finance Summary.” https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/john-boozman/summary?cid=N00030773
• OpenSecrets: “Sen. Cory Booker – Campaign Finance Summary.” https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/cory-booker/summary?cid=N00035267
• STAT: “FDA’s former top food official says Trump firings are ‘dismantling’ the division,” February 18, 2025. https://www.statnews.com/2025/02/18/fda-foods-division-jim-jones-interview/
• The Guardian: “RFK Jr directs FDA to revise ‘self-affirm’ rule to improve food ingredient safety,” March 10, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/10/rfk-jr-kennedy-health-fda-trump
• The New York Times: “RFK Jr. Rattles Food Companies With Vow to Rid Food of Artificial Dyes,” March 11, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/health/rfk-jr-food-safety-artificial-dyes.html
• Union of Concerned Scientists: “Agribusiness, Industry Lobbying Exceeds $500 Million,” May 12, 2024. https://www.ucs.org/about/news/agribusiness-industry-lobbying-exceeds-500-million
• X: Posts on RFK Jr.’s food reform efforts, data access issues, and public reactions, March 28-April 5, 2025. https://x.com