Farm Bureau: Flawed Process = Flawed Report

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the flawed process that led to a flawed White House report issued by the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission.

“When I came to Washington to serve as president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, I was surprised by the multiple layers of public review and public comment behind government-issued regulations and reports. In time, I came to appreciate the credibility that results from careful vetting, thorough review and transparency.

“Public trust in government is eroded when it deviates from a sound scientific record to meet an agenda, then steamrolls conclusions through with inadequate examination, which appears to be the case with the MAHA Commission report.

“Much public attention is now focused on the citation of nonexistent studies in the report, but it’s also important to challenge the report’s dogged determination to sow seeds of doubt and fear about the safety of our food system. The report downplays a mountain of evidence and safeguards that ensure a safe food supply. The result risks a loss of public trust in both the food system and the president.

“Farmers share the goal of healthy outcomes in America, but the bottom line is that the report development process was broken. We had concerns before the report’s release and urged the White House, in a public statement, to step back and ensure its accuracy. Our statement concluded with the following caution: History teaches us that it takes a very long time to rebuild public confidence once it is lost – even if the loss is caused by incorrect or incomplete information.

“It’s not too late for President Trump to step-in and take control of the process going forward. The next report that lays out any policy recommendations must be carefully vetted and provide an opportunity for those impacted to offer input. That’s not only what farmers expect, that’s good government and that’s how public trust is maintained.”