Summary
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers a variety of crucial federal nutrition programs, which include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Child nutrition programs (i.e. National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program), and food distribution programs, among others. These programs serve about one quarter of Americans, and federal spending on nutrition assistance totaled $166.4 billion in fiscal year 2023. The size and impact of these programs make them key tools for policymakers looking to influence the health of the nation and reduce spending. Nutrition is also a core component of the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement championed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump Administration.
In this Insights for Impact, we review potential policies the 119th Congress and the second Trump Administration may pursue that would impact the funding, eligibility, and delivery of key federal nutrition programs.
If nutrition policy is important to you, be sure to include a position in your advocacy plan for 2025. Impact Health can help you develop policies and positions, think through strategy, and craft arguments to influence policymakers. Please reach out to us with any questions.