Debate rages over RFK Jr.'s MAHA report on root causes of disease
(NewsNation) — Leaders in American agriculture have voiced their opposition after a report from the 'Make America Healthy Again' commission implied a connection between pesticides and chronic health issues in children.
Some have said the commission, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is causing unnecessary concern with a report full of unsubstantiated claims, while others question big agriculture companies funding many of the critics.
The American Farm Bureau Federation, the Modern Ag Alliance, and national corn and soybean associations are among those siding with critics.
22% of sunscreen brands are effective: Study
The National Corn Growers Association said in a statement: 'The Make America Healthy Again Report is filled with fear-based rather than science-based information about pesticides. We are deeply troubled that claims of this magnitude are being made without any scientific basis or regard for a long history of EPA expert evaluations of these products' … We call on the administration to respect the existing body of science on pesticides and, moving forward, to include America's farmers in discussion as this process evolves.'
If they were to lose the ability to use some controversial pesticides mentioned in the commission's report—including atrazine and glyphosate — advocacy groups say American farmers would face economic repercussions and that grocery prices would skyrocket.
These groups have strong financial ties to the pesticide makers being questioned.
Will it be harder to get a COVID vaccine this year?
Public records show Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, has funded local Farm Bureau chapters and helped launch the Modern Ag Alliance. Industry groups like CropLife have given hundreds of thousands of dollars to corn, soybean and wheat lobbyists, whose goals often include swaying legislation to benefit their members.
Bayer-Monsanto has faced more than 100,000 lawsuits related to its pesticides allegedly causing cancer or other serious health concerns. The company has paid out $11 billion in settlements. Bayer maintains its products are EPA-approved and safe.
The commission's report admitted there was no final proof that approved uses of pesticides cause harm. Its authors, however, pointed to potential bias in the 'industry-sponsored' research and sought additional independent study.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
17 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Boulder Attack Videos Show People Being Set on Fire
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Eight people were injured after a man hurled makeshift incendiary devices into a crowd at a pro-Israel event in Boulder, Colorado, on Sunday. The 45-year-old suspect, identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, allegedly shouted "Free Palestine" as he threw Molotov cocktails into the crowd of people gathered to remember the Israeli hostages still being held captive in Gaza. Soliman was reportedly shirtless and holding makeshift flame-throwers in each hand when he was arrested at the scene. More video of the terrorist in Boulder Colorado who attacked a pro-Israel event that was bringing awareness of American and Israeli hostages being held by Hamas. — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 1, 2025 Footage of the incident shows the chaos following the attack, with bystanders tending to the victims. One person can be seen lying on the ground, as others attempt to beat out the flames. Mark Michalek, an FBI special agent, said on Sunday: "It is clear that this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism." Four women and four men, aged between 52 and 88, were wounded and hospitalized, according to Boulder Police. Newsweek has contacted Boulder Police for comment outside of regular working hours. Police officers investigate the attack in Boulder, Colorado, on Sunday. Police officers investigate the attack in Boulder, Colorado, on Sunday. David Zalubowski/AP This is a breaking story. More to follow.
19 minutes ago
What to know about Karol Nawrocki, Poland's newly elected conservative president
WARSAW, Poland -- The final result of Poland's presidential election only became clear after a long, nail-gripping night of counting as both candidates were locked in a near dead heat in the first exit polls after voting ended. Poles awakened Monday to a clear albeit close result that returns a nationalist politician to the presidency who has pledged to hinder the centrist, pro-EU government for the remainder of its term. Here's what to know about Karol Nawrocki, Poland's newly elected conservative president: Nawrocki is a 42-year-old historian who had no political experience prior to the campaign and who was not even a party member until he was tapped by the conservative Law and Justice party that governed Poland from 2015 to 2023. Nawrocki heads the Institute of National Remembrance, which embraces nationalist historical narratives. He led efforts to topple monuments to the Soviet Red Army in Poland. Russia responded by putting him on a wanted list, according to Polish media reports. Nawrocki's supporters describe him as the embodiment of traditional, patriotic values. Many of them oppose abortion and LGBTQ+ visibility and say Nawrocki reflects the traditional values they grew up with. He was also the preferred favorite of U.S. President Donald Trump, with the American conservative group CPAC holding its first meeting in Poland last week during the campaign to give him a boost. Kristi Noem, the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary and a prominent Trump ally, strongly praised him and urged Poles to vote for him. His campaign echoed themes popular on the American right. A common refrain from his supporters is that Nawrocki will restore 'normality,' as they believe Trump has done. U.S. flags appeared at his rallies. Nawrocki performed better in the first round than expected, an indication he was underestimated in the polling. Nawrocki's quick political rise has not been without controversy, with reports linking him to underworld figures whom he met while boxing or working as a hotel security guard in the past. Nawrocki has also been linked to a scandal involving the acquisition of a Gdansk apartment from an elderly pensioner named Jerzy. Allegations suggest Nawrocki promised to care for Jerzy in return but failed to fulfill the commitment, leading the man to end up in a publicly funded retirement home. His shifting explanations raised questions about his transparency and credibility. After the scandal erupted he donated the apartment to a charity. It recently emerged that Nawrocki took part in a 2009 Gdansk brawl involving about 140 rival soccer fans, some later convicted of crimes. Nawrocki described the fight as a form of 'noble' combat. Polish media have also reported on his connections to gangsters and the world of prostitution. His critics say all of these things make him unfit to represent Poland as the head of state but many right-wing voters don't believe the allegations and accuse the media of using its power to hurt him, creating what appears to be a rallying effect around him.
New York Times
27 minutes ago
- New York Times
In the Age of Trump, National Politics Dominate a Republican Primary
When Donald J. Trump was in the thick of his first campaign for the White House, Jack Ciattarelli, then a Republican state assemblyman mulling a run for governor of New Jersey, called the soon-to-be commander in chief a 'charlatan' who was 'out of step with American values.' 'Sitting silently and allowing him to embarrass our country is unacceptable,' Mr. Ciattarelli said in a 2015 statement. 'He is not fit to be president of the United States.' Ten years later, Mr. Ciattarelli, the front-runner in the June 10 Republican primary for governor, has pivoted. He has praised Mr. Trump during the campaign and last month earned the president's coveted endorsement. Like many other Republican politicians across the country, including the vice president, JD Vance, Mr. Ciattarelli has worked to paper over his past criticism of the president as Mr. Trump has grown in popularity. That effort to appeal to the G.O.P.'s conservative base is seen more as a reflection of the realities of party primaries at a polarized moment in history than as a fundamental realignment of the Republican Party in New Jersey, a left-leaning state with a high percentage of affluent suburban voters. 'It's indicative of where Republicans are, but it's also indicative of where a lot of voters are,' said Peter J. McDonough Jr., a retired political strategist and former aide to Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican who was governor of New Jersey in the 1990s. 'People are mad. People are dissatisfied — whether they're Bernie Sanders or Trump voters.' Where Do the Candidates for New Jersey Governor Stand on the Issues? The New York Times sent a wide-ranging survey to candidates for governor of New Jersey about housing, immigration, abortion, transit, affordability, schools and climate. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
