Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration announced a sweeping federal initiative aimed at strengthening the nation’s food supply, modernizing agriculture, and improving understanding of chemical exposure risks in the food system.
The plan, tied to Executive Order 14212 establishing the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, directs federal agencies to work with farmers to ensure that American food remains the healthiest, most abundant, and most affordable in the world. Officials said farmers will play a central role in achieving the administration’s broader goals for food security and agricultural resilience.
A central component of the initiative is a three-pillar strategy: improving research into chemical exposure risks, expanding federal investment in regenerative agriculture, and accelerating private-sector innovation by reducing regulatory barriers and matching private investment.
Under the plan, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and National Institutes of Health (NIH) will develop a research framework examining cumulative chemical exposure in the food supply. The agencies will focus on developing “New Approach Methodologies” designed to better evaluate how multiple contaminants may affect both environmental and human health.
The USDA will provide the largest share of funding, dedicating $840 million to programs that encourage regenerative farming practices and agricultural innovation. That includes $400 million through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and $300 million through the Conservation Stewardship Program to support projects focused on soil health, water conservation, and ecosystem vitality.
An additional $140 million Strengthening Agricultural Systems Program will fund large-scale research projects addressing major agricultural challenges, including pest and disease management, new markets for agricultural products, and strategies to reduce food-related chronic disease.
Federal officials said the USDA will also expand public-private partnerships through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, allowing federal conservation funding to be matched with private investment to help farmers adopt regenerative practices while maintaining private land ownership.
The Department of Health and Human Services will contribute $200 million to the initiative. The NIH will launch a $100 million grand prize challenge aimed at developing new ways to evaluate, diagnose, and treat cumulative chemical exposure impacts on human health.
Another $100 million will come from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to support technologies that reduce reliance on chemical crop protection tools. Proposed innovations include robotic and electric weed control, precision mechanical cultivation, thermal weed removal, biological herbicides, and integrated non-chemical farming systems.
The Environmental Protection Agency will also launch a $30 million prize competition to develop alternatives to pre-harvest pesticide desiccation, a farming practice that can increase chemical residues in crops.
Administration officials say the combined investments are intended to modernize U.S. agriculture, reduce long-term health risks from chemical exposure, and ensure the United States maintains a stable and secure domestic food supply.
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