Food & Nutrition

White House Releases President Trump's FY 2027 Discretionary Budget Request

The White House released President Trump’s FY 2027 Discretionary Budget Request that serves as an initial framework for congressional budget negotiations and reflects the Administration's fiscal and political priorities. Under HHS, the Budget requests funds to establish the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), including $19 million to expand access to nutrition services at Health Centers by integrating nutritional care and expanding access to healthy food and nutrition education. The Budget also requests $57 million to strengthen national nutrition and food safety, including efforts aimed at removing “unsafe” chemicals from the food supply. Additionally, under USDA, the Budget proposes to cut funding to food programs, including the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program and the Food for Peace program. 

Separately, FDA and USDA also released their FY 2027 Budget Requests. Notably under FDA, the Budget proposes $57 million in funding to support MAHA initiatives across the agency, including $25 million and 30 additional full-time employees for the Human Foods Program. This funding would also be used to expand FDA’s Closer to Zero initiative to eliminate toxic elements from foods consumed by children and to develop a compliance system to test naturally derived food colors for elemental contaminants, including lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium. The Budget also states that FDA intends to explore ways legislative changes can be used to close the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) “loophole.” 

HHS HRSA Announces Funding to Expand Nutrition Services

The HHS Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced $135 million in new funding opportunities to expand nutrition services and strengthen the rural health workforce. The funding will support more than 350 HRSA-funded health centers in expanding access to nutrition services and food-based interventions within primary care settings. These efforts aim to prevent and manage chronic diseases, aligning with the Administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) priorities. HRSA also plans to award up to 15 grants of up to $750,000 each over three years to support new rural residency programs in high-need specialties, including family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, OB-GYN, general surgery, and preventive medicine.

HHS Secretary Kennedy Announces Podcast Launch

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on social media that he is launching a new podcast called “The Secretary Kennedy Podcast.” In his announcement, Secretary Kennedy stated that the podcast will have conversations with critical thinkers, including independent doctors, scientists, and leaders in medical innovation and research.

Food Safety

FDA and Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness to Host Food Safety Culture Series Webinar

FDA, in partnership with the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness, announced the fifth webinar in its Food Safety Culture Webinar Series, to be held on April 15, 2026. The agency is hosting webinars throughout 2026 featuring industry experts to share insights and strategies to enhance food safety culture across one’s organization as part of FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety initiative. According to FDA, the webinar will consist of a “lightning round” session that will provide tools, insights, and activities from industry peers to continuously improve one’s food safety culture.

Agriculture

USDA Announces New Agency Guidance Portal

USDA announced the launch of the agency’s new Guidance Portal, which will serve as an interactive tool and database containing guidance issued by the Department and its agencies. This announcement fulfills a commitment made by USDA Secretary Rollins in the agency’s February 2026 Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework, which pledged to make agency guidance documents more readily accessible through a public online portal.

USDA Announces Funding Toward Food Purchases to Support Nutrition Assistance Programs 

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced its intent to purchase up to $60 million in agricultural commodities from American farmers and producers to distribute to food banks and nutrition assistance programs. These foods are provided to USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) nutrition assistance programs, including food banks that operate The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). AMS will purchase commodities such as canned pears, chicken, fresh nectarines, fresh plums, and processed strawberries.