2021 crystal ball january - Food Directions
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2021
january
crystal ball
Food Directions LLC
2021 The year 2021 brings with it a new Administration and Congress facing the burden of the pandemic, dragging economic crisis, and growing focus on climate change. In light of COVID-19 and its connection to diet-related chronic diseases as well as burgeoning global food policy pressures, we anticipate that an immediate focus of the Biden Administration will be taking action to improve the health and nutrition of Americans through voluntary and mandatory measures in what may be a very progressive year on food and nutrition issues.
Obama-Biden Administration
In the most influential food policy
Administration in history, we saw
sweeping changes to our food system,
including:
Food Safety Modernization Act
Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act: School
meals reform
Marketing to kids/sponsorship
restrictions
Menu and vending labeling
BE labeling
Trans fat bans
Nutrition Facts label reform
A LOOK
'21
B A C K
& A H E A D
Biden-Harris Administration
In what could be the most progressive food policy
Administration ever, this Administration is well-poised
to potentially take on:
Nutrient reduction programs: Sodium and sugar
Front of package labels: Implementation of
mandatory interpretative labels
Healthy definition and package icon
Feeding programs: Stricter nutrient and food group
standards; incentives to increase healthier
purchases; calls for universal school meals; support
for significant increases to SNAP/WIC benefits
More restrictions on marketing to kids
Dietary Guidelines: Potential for sweeping nutrition
updates and consideration of sustainability
Food-system sustainability efforts
familiar faces & new players
will influence the food and nutrition policy landscape
Tom Vilsak (Secretary of Agriculture Nominee): As
previous Secretary of Agriculture under the Obama
Administration, Vilsak was instrumental in the
implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act and
tightening nutrition standards in school meals. He is also a
strong supporter of expanding nutrition programs like
SNAP and WIC and establishing a sustainable food system.
Xavier Becerra (Secretary of Health and Human Services
Nominee): Throughout his career, Beccera has positioned
himself as a champion for American workers. During his
time as California Attorney General, Becerra joined a
multistate lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s
2018 reversal of school meal nutrition standards and later
joined a coalition expressing serious concerns with the
Trump Administration’s 2020 proposal to allow for even
more more school meal flexibilities. He also joined a
multistate lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s
rule to strengthen SNAP work requirements and joined a
coalition calling on the Administration to withdraw its
proposal to limit categorical eligibility for SNAP.
Doug Emhoff (Second Gentleman): In late 2020, Vice
President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug
Emhoff, made an appearance at DC Central Kitchen.
During the visit, Emhoff told reporters that food insecurity
is one of the issues he hopes to work on while serving as
second gentleman.
familiar faces & new players
will influence the food and nutrition policy landscape
Capitol Hill Committees: The Committees on Capitol Hill will
see new leadership in 2021. With Democrats in the majority,
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) will be chair of the Senate
Ag Committee with new ranking member Senator John
Boozman (R-AR). On the House side, we will see new Ag chair
Rep. David Scott (D-GA) and ranking member Rep. GT
Thompson (R-PA). Their attention will mainly focus on the
next Farm Bill, which is likely to be progressive- from nutrition
and conservation programs to increased SNAP funding to
bolstering local food systems and promoting urban farming.
We know racial inequalities in agriculture and consolidation of
industry will also be key focuses for these Committees. We
could also see activity on other issues, including interest in
child nutrition reauthorization- managed by the Senate
Agriculture Committee and the House Education and Labor
Committee.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama: While quiet over the past
several years on food issues, she worked hard to advocate for
Joe Biden's election to the presidency. Given the work of the
Trump Administration to undue much of her nutrition agenda,
it is likely she will reinsert herself pushing for stricter school
meal nutrition requirements again and pressure will once
again mount to make voluntary commitments through her
Partnership for a Healthier America.
Bloomberg Foundation: Through the Bloomberg
Philanthropies Food Policy Program, over $435 million has
been committed to promote healthier diets through policy
change. Their locations of focus are Brazil, the Caribbean,
Colombia, Mexico, South Africa, and the United States where
we have already seen changes including:
Raising taxes on sugary beverages and certain foods
Limiting children’s exposure to food and beverage
marketing through comprehensive marketing bans
Promoting food policies in schools
Introducing interpretive front-of-package nutrition labels
and warnings
what was old is new again
Efforts are focusing on
ingredients and
components to reduce
and/or eliminate from
the diet:
refined carbs and starch,
processed meat, foods rich in
sodium, added ugar, and sat
fat
Advocates are
The processing of food effectively influencing
is gaining attention: governments:
"ultra-processed" Berkley healthy check outs,
"highly processed" Mexico/Chili warning labels
and bans
Food is medicine:
retailers are working with
health insurance companies
to incentivize or prescribe
healthy foods
We see familiar issues coming back with new approaches
While the issues haven't changed, the way we talk about them and how they are being
approached have evolved. We anticipate food policy pressures coming from all sides-
states, localities, and internationally. Just look to Berkley where there are new healthy
check out aisle requirements or Prince George's County Maryland where we see
restrictions on kids meals and healthy beverage requirements. Globally, we see efforts like
mandatory sodium limits in Colombia, warning labels and sales bans on foods in Mexico.
FDA remains focused on redefining healthy and moving forward with its sodium reduction
initiative- these are just the tip of the iceberg on what may come.
Government
leaders have noted
that strong policies
are needed to
reduce the “tidal
wave” of public
health challenges
we now face.
Outside groups are helping meet
that goal & influencing outcomes
Influential NGOs
Harvard Center for Science in Public
& Tufts Interest
Goals: Goals:
Reduce double burden of hunger and Promote healthy food environments
obesity (Incentives/prescriptions to (Check out lines, children’s meals,
improve healthier choices, reduce schools, warning labels)
starch and processed foods including Support for universal school meals
meats)
Reduce nutrition-related health
inequities
Reform our food system including
sustainability
STEPS FOR NAVIGATING FORWARD
Be proactive by developing
internal positions and a
comprehensive strategic
approach.
Prioritize relationship building
with new members of the
Administration, Agency career
Familiarize yourself with
staff, and Congress as well as
the influencers and their
key players globally.
goals. Open the lines of
communication with them
to share progress you are
making in the food space.
With power in numbers,
identify like minded groups
and find ways to engage
together.
Food Directions LLC
Food Directions brings the expertise, experience, and relationships
important to organizations operating in a global food system. Reach
out today to see how Food Directions can empower you with a voice
and strategy to shape policies.
email: fooddirectionsdc@gmail.com | website: fooddirectionsllc.comYou can also read
