The Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy has landed. It’s being dissected in headlines, critiqued by advocates and applauded by some industry sectors. But while others are reacting, marketing and communications leaders in food and agriculture should be asking deeper questions. Because this isn’t just a policy document. It’s a strategic framework. And where there’s strategy, there’s opportunity.
Here are four things every brand, board and association should be asking in response:
1. Are we telling the farmer-to-family story?
In an Instagram reel posted yesterday by the Department of Health and Human Services, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins captured an important thread in the MAHA message: “A central focus of the report is working with our farmers. The innovation happening across America’s heartland is the key to healthier food and healthier soil.” This is a direct invitation for commodity boards and brands to elevate the voices of farmers linking soil stewardship, innovation and nourishment. If you aren’t already centering your farmers in your storytelling, this is the moment to start.
2. Are we elevating our science?
High-quality nutrition research remains one of the most credible tools in shaping consumer and policy conversations. The MAHA strategy points to areas like metabolic health, root cause identification, chronic disease prevention — all areas where the science of nutrition must be communicated clearly and credibly. Leaders should be asking: How are we packaging our science in ways that are compelling, accessible and relevant to both policymakers and consumers?
3. Are we making “whole” relevant to modern lifestyles?
It’s not enough to talk about health benefits. Consumers live busy, complex lives, and they want foods that are not only nourishing but also easy, affordable and delicious. The MAHA report’s emphasis on whole, healthy foods creates an opportunity to show how these foods can seamlessly fit into everyday routines. That requires creative storytelling, recipes, retail activations and campaigns that move “whole” from an abstract label to an aspirational and achievable lifestyle choice.
4. Are we building the right partnerships?
In today’s media environment, no message stands alone. For brands and boards, your communications need credible partners to resonate. That may mean health organizations, dietitians, chefs, physicians or sustainability advocates — partners who can validate your message and amplify your story. Ask yourself: Who should be standing next to us when we talk about our food? The right coalition not only boosts credibility but also helps shape the national dialogue around whole foods and health.
Conclusion
The MAHA Strategy isn’t the end of the conversation. It’s the beginning. For marketing and communications leaders, the opportunity is clear: take this national spotlight and use it to position your products, commodity boards and trade associations as the answer to America’s call for health.