Trump's Make America Healthy Again Faces Setbacks as School Nutrition Programs Cut
The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative launched with promises to reduce childhood disease, improve nutrition, and strengthen school meal programs. For millions of children who rely on federally supported meals, it signaled a potential breakthrough. Advocates noted the surprising Republican push toward healthier school food, recalling the intense criticism Michelle Obama once faced for championing similar reforms.
Cuts to farm-to-school funding and SNAP challenge Trump’s Make America Healthy Again agenda, raising concerns over children’s health and nutrition.
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Those expectations are now being tested. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture terminated the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement and the Local Food for Schools programs. Together, these initiatives had supplied more than $1 billion to connect schools and food banks with local farms and ranches. The cancellations ended direct access to fresh produce, dairy, and meats that many schools had integrated into their meal programs.
For school food service leaders like Kim Sieck of Iowa’s Grinnell-Newburg district, the impact was immediate. Microgreen sprouts, orchard apples, and farm-fresh corn—once served to students as both nutrition and education—have been eliminated due to budget restrictions. Advocates such as Marlene Schwartz of the Rudd Center for Food Policy questioned the move, noting that supporting farmers and school systems had been widely regarded as a bipartisan good.
Nutrition experts warn the cuts run counter to MAHA’s mission. Beyond farm-to-school funding, Trump’s “Big Beautiful” legislation includes reductions to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which affect children’s access to food and healthcare. Starting in 2027, fewer families will qualify for discounted or free school meals, as eligibility is tied to SNAP participation.
Further controversy surrounds the MAHA Commission, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Its first report acknowledged that ultraprocessed foods contribute to record-high childhood chronic disease rates. Praise for its findings diminished after revelations of misleading research and a leaked draft described as favorable to food industry interests. The White House has indicated the official version of the commission’s report will be released soon.
Kennedy has also sparked debate with outspoken views on vaccines, agriculture, and school food. He has described school lunches as “poison,” citing their reliance on processed items, and urged reform. Nutrition professionals counter that school meals are required to meet federal nutrition standards, offering fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and milk in ways that many restaurants and homes do not.
Diane Pratt-Heavner of the School Nutrition Association emphasized that research consistently shows school meals rank as the healthiest meals American children consume. Experts, including Marion Nestle of New York University, caution that recent program cuts could reverse progress made under the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, which successfully boosted the nutritional value of cafeteria offerings.
School districts face additional challenges balancing budgets with demands for fresh, minimally processed foods. Federal studies show less than a quarter of school meals are prepared from scratch, largely due to funding constraints. Nonprofit leaders argue that major improvements—such as eliminating additives and expanding scratch cooking—require more financial support and industry-wide changes in food supply chains.
Despite policy turbulence, school food professionals continue adapting to maintain meal quality for students. Leaders within the field stress that ongoing investment in nutrition programs remains critical to ensuring children have consistent access to balanced, healthy meals.
