'The Actual Conclusions In the Report Are Faulty': Adam Gray Blasts RFK Jr.'s 'MAHA Report'

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During a House Agriculture Committee hearing in July, Rep. Adam Gray (D-CA) spoke about Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" report.

Transcript

00:00I recognize the gentleman from California, Mr. Gray, for five minutes.

00:06Thank you, Chairman and Ranking Member Craig, for holding this timely hearing,

00:11and thank you to our witnesses for being here today. Appreciate that.

00:17Yeah, I find myself concerned about the narrative developed around the health and safety of our crops.

00:24Farmers are under increasing stress, tariffs, labor, changes in energy policy,

00:33and I think these last few years have really revealed just how fragile our food production system can be.

00:43We must focus on science and research to ensure everyone has access to safe and healthy food,

00:51but the Central Valley grows healthy food point-blank, full stop.

00:58From vegetables to fruits to nuts, our producers are at the core of ensuring America is healthy.

01:07Our farmers care deeply about feeding American safe products

01:12and do so under a uniquely stringent regulatory environment in California.

01:17I worry that what seems to be a well-intentioned movement is achieving the opposite.

01:25By not following the science and creating dangerous narratives that go against what research and our institutions have told us,

01:33we endanger farmers even more.

01:36Mr. Cameron, it's great to see you here in Washington.

01:43I find myself, you know, concerned that while the Maha report may claim it has the goal of making America healthy,

01:51the actual conclusions in the report are faulty.

01:54If you were writing your own report justifying your production practices

02:00and making suggestions for a healthier population, what would you include?

02:09Thank you, Congressman Adam.

02:11Great.

02:13We know that we're producing the finest and highest quality food in the world.

02:18With the safest practices for our workers, for our communities, we're doing the right thing.

02:24We're glad to see fresh fruits and vegetables being mentioned and increased consumption would be fantastic.

02:32That would help all of us in the farming community.

02:35But we demand science at the base of decisions moving forward.

02:41We feel very strongly that, you know, sometimes we get a motion.

02:48I know that TikTok people that, you know, get a following may not be true, could be great,

02:57but we want to see science as a basis for any decisions moving forward.

03:03Absolutely.

03:05I appreciate that sentiment.

03:08I don't think we can expect our farmers to adapt to a constantly changing narrative

03:13around their crop protection tools while at the same time stripping away the staff

03:18and resources needed to ensure farmers feel safe adopting these new technologies.

03:24Just this weekend, in fact, the administration instructed further cuts at the EPA,

03:29closing down the Office of Research and Development.

03:32These staff cuts lead to further delays in critical approval processes and, frankly,

03:39slow the opportunity for innovation in the crop production space.

03:44Mr. Witherby, in your testimony, you call for the creation of a science-based risk proportionate

03:49pathways that recognize the unique properties of biological and gene-edited pest control tools.

03:55Could you go ahead and elaborate on that?

03:58Is the EPA adequately equipped to assess these technologies or do they need additional funds

04:04or perhaps specific scientists to efficiently and effectively review this type of technology?

04:10Yeah, I think that, unfortunately, they're regulating to legislation that's been put in place for chemicals.

04:16As we start to look at some of these new technologies now, they are adapting to some of these.

04:21It's just slow.

04:22And a lot of times it's plant first and then, you know, followed by other biologics or other things.

04:28And so it's just not fast enough and it's not across the board.

04:32The same scientific decisions that are being made, is it safe to the environment?

04:36Is it safe to people?

04:37Should we not be able to go and test that?

04:39Those three things are kind of key pieces to this to move it forward and to allow for the universities to test.

04:46And then from that, the data is there in order to approve it, to move on to commercialization and into the growers' hands.

04:54Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

04:56I yield back the rest of my time.

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