As EPA prepares to release “MAHA Agenda,” MAHA movement calls for action to reduce harmful chemicals
Washington DC — Leaders, farmers and organizations aligned with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement are calling on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to protect the health of the American public from pesticides, plastics, and PFAS chemicals that are contributing to infertility, cancer and other chronic diseases.
The 36 MAHA organizations and leaders sent a letter urging EPA to walk their talk in the forthcoming “Make America Healthy Again Agenda” – which may be released any day –
with concrete actions that will reduce Americans’ exposure to toxic chemicals, curb the
influence of corporations over the agency, and address rising rates of chronic disease.
“The American people were promised a Make America Healthy Again Agenda that would finally confront the root causes of chronic disease in this country. That must include tackling the toxic chemicals Americans are exposed to every day through pesticides, PFAS, and plastics,” said Vani Hari, Author & Food Activist. “We desperately need the EPA to put the health of families and children ahead of the interests of chemical companies.”
The letter demands, among other actions, that EPA initiate an emergency review of pesticides that are allowed in the U.S. but banned in the European Union – a policy supported by 87% of
Americans. The groups are also calling for tighter scrutiny of persistent, toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” and better monitoring of microplastics in drinking water.
The MAHA leaders point to industry influence at the EPA as the heart of the failure to protect the public from harmful chemicals. They noted that revolving-door appointments, industry- funded science, and regulatory loopholes have become the norm at the agency. EPA needs to chart a new course, they said, and that means prioritizing human health over the interests of chemical corporations.
“The EPA’s public support for glyphosate and pesticide liability protections in the face of growing evidence of scientific harm by independent scientists is a major betrayal of MAHA’s
mission and President Trump’s campaign promise to RFK, Jr. to reign in toxic chemicals in our
food system,” said David Murphy, the founder of United We Eat and a longtime advocate for food and agricultural reforms.
“Without real action on farm chemicals like glyphosate, atrazine, and dicamba, cancer rates in farm states like Iowa will only continue to rise and the dream of Making America Healthy Again will become another failed campaign promise,” said Murphy, who served as RFK, Jr’s finance director on his presidential campaign and is a native of Iowa, which has the second highest rates of cancer in the country.
“America is in the middle of a chemical health crisis,” said Kelly Ryerson, co-executive director of American Regeneration. “Nearly every one of us now carries a toxic burden of pesticides, PFAS and plastics in our bodies. The EPA must immediately stop playing the role of industry’s gatekeeper and finally act as a guardian to public health, as was widely promised to the MAHA voters.”
PFAS chemicals in plastics, food packaging, and other everyday products are a growing concern for the MAHA movement. MAHA organizations recently sent a letter to Members of Congress
opposing a draft bill championed by Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL). The signatories point out that the bill would significantly weaken the Toxic Substances Control
Act (TSCA), an important chemical safety law, and potentially increase Americans’ exposure to
PFAS and other chemicals.
Most American children and adults have pesticides, PFAS, and microplastics in our bodies. Studies have detected 29 different pesticides in the body of the average American, and PFAS are found in the bloodstreams of 98% of people – even in newborn babies. All three chemical classes
are all linked to cancer, infertility, hormone disruption, and developmental disorders.
Despite these major health concerns, the EPA has handed out multiple favors to the pesticide and chemical industry that will further expose Americans to avoidable harms. Since President Trump took office in January 2025, the EPA:
- Appointed chemical industry executives and Big Ag lobbyists to the top four posts at
EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) – which oversees
pesticide and chemical safety. The EPA had to weaken ethics standards to do this. - Dismantled the Office of Research and Development (ORD) and laid off hundreds of
scientists who provided critical expertise and guidance about how to protect human
health from toxic chemicals. - Re-registered the cancer-linked pesticide dicamba, despite massive public opposition and
even though the herbicide was twice banned by federal courts. Approved two new pesticides with PFAS active ingredients – cyclobutrifluram and isocycloseram – for use
on food crops, lawns, and golf courses. - Rolled back health standards for PFAS, including regulations that protect people from
PFAS in drinking water, and cut $15 million in funding for research into PFAS that are tied to cancer and birth defects. - Announced plans to weaken or roll back 31 regulations that protect people from toxic air
and water pollution. Experts say this could increase Americans’ exposure to at least 13
different cancer-causing pollutants, including benzene, formaldehyde, and arsenic. - Took steps to roll back limits on lead in drinking water. There is no safe level of lead exposure for children.