Energy & Environment

The Big Story

Some MAHA activists see report as missed opportunity

The lack of inclusion of major reforms in the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy Report shows the limits of Kennedy's MAHA movement within the traditional business-friendly Republican party.

Tuesday's long-awaited "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) report steered clear of calling for regulation of the pesticide and food industries, despite Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s belief that they are responsible for the childhood chronic disease epidemic.

It called for raising public awareness of the Environmental Protection Agency's "robust" pesticide review procedures and developing "more targeted and precise pesticide applications."

Health officials have argued industry cooperation is key to the MAHA agenda. But Kennedy allies in the MAHA movement said they were disappointed.

MAHA activist Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America, said the report read as though "Bayer and Monsanto wrote it." Bayer is the manufacturer of the herbicide Roundup.

"We are also extremely concerned about this administration's elimination of necessary funds," Honeycutt said. "The USDA's gutting of so many programs directly contradicts the MAHA report's recommendations."

David Murphy, a former finance director for Kennedy's presidential campaign last year, said the report was a "major missed opportunity for the Trump administration."

Murphy said it was "a clear sign that Big Ag, Bayer, and the pesticide industry are firmly embedded in the White House and intentionally short-circuiting Trump's campaign promise to the millions of MAHA voters who helped him return to power."

Pesticide manufacturers expressed their support for the strategy.

CropLife America, the industry's main lobbying group, in a statement said it "appreciates this Administration and the MAHA Commission for inviting feedback and listening to America's farmers and agriculture industry — and recognizing that pesticides are important tools that help farmers grow healthy, affordable, and abundant food for American families."

Read more here, from The Hill's Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi.

Welcome to The Hill's Energy & Environment newsletter, I'm Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Essential Reads

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

Hyundai plant's completion in Georgia delayed months by ICE raid

The massive U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at a Hyundai EV battery manufacturing plant in Georgia last week has likely set the facility’s opening back by several months, Hyundai CEO José Muñoz told reporters Thursday.

Full Story

Trump announces millions in storm recovery funds for North Carolina, Wisconsin, Kansas

President Trump said Thursday he had approved millions of dollars in funding for storm recovery efforts across multiple states, including in North Carolina, where residents are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Full Story

Study details how 'forever chemicals' disrupt liver function

Toxic "forever chemicals" are altering human liver function at a fundamental level by triggering both fat accumulation and cancer-linked cell damage, a new study has found.

Full Story

What We're Reading

News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

Offshore wind has no future in the U.S. under Trump administration, Interior Secretary says (CNBC)
Newsom strikes climate deal extending California cap and trade, boosting oil production (CalMatters)