WASHINGTON - The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) issued the following statement in response to a White House report published on May 22 by the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission:

“The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) appreciates President Trump’s commitment to addressing the nation’s diet-related health crisis through the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission. Today’s child-focused report recognizes that there is work to do to improve the nutritional quality of our food system. We also appreciate the report’s specific acknowledgement of the importance of fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops to Americans and the farm economy that feeds them.

"With nine in 10 Americans not meeting fruit and vegetable consumption targets and up to half of children under age five not consuming a vegetable daily, the Commission must focus on evidence-based interventions that will increase fruit and vegetable consumption and support policies that ensure the prosperity of U.S. growers who dutifully provide an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables for Americans every day.

"As the Commission moves on developing policy, we stand by our MAHA recommendations released earlier this year and look forward to opportunities for the fresh produce sector to engage in shaping policies that will improve health outcomes for all Americans. While the fresh sector has long called for improvements to nutrition policy, we also encourage the Commission to recognize where there has been success. As acknowledged in the report, the WIC program has proven effective in improving health outcomes, largely due to its fruit and vegetable benefits. Additionally, the National School Lunch Program provides a daily fruit and vegetable to the 30 million students who participate and rely on this meal daily. As a result, school lunch is the healthiest meal most children — regardless of socio-economic status — will eat during their day.

"The report’s focus on the practices and scale of food production, while inclusive of many opinions, includes some questionable assertions, some contrary to federal regulatory findings, and conflicting claims that could confuse Americans about the safety of their food. In its following report, we hope the Commission will collaborate more closely with farmers and producers to make recommendations that ensure the United States remains the world’s gold standard of risk-based, data-driven scientific decision-making, founded on transparency, public-private research, and innovation.

"Diet-related diseases are a crisis we can — and must — address together. By expanding access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables, supporting evidence-based nutrition policies, and supporting and empowering growers, we can advance public health in meaningful, lasting ways. The American produce industry stands ready to actively partner with the Trump administration on the president’s vision for building a healthier nation."