Public health advocates praise rewrite of legislation backed by big-food influence operation AFIT

A bipartisan group of public health advocates have defeated a proposal to kill state food safety laws that was pushed by what some critics have called a “faux Maha” big-food influence operation.

The industry-funded group, called Americans for Ingredient Transparency (AFIT), suggests it is part of a grassroots Make America Healthy Again (Maha) movement, but opponents say it is waging a campaign on behalf of big food companies that Maha figures typically criticizes – ConAgra, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Hormel, and Nestlé among other food giants.

Maha is the health movement, led by health secretary Robert F Kennedy, that aims to improve Americans’ health, though aspects of it have been criticized for embracing conspiracy theories, especially on vaccines.

AFIT is headed by a former Trump administration official and industry lobbyist. An AFIT video on its website shows footage of children and parents holding Maha signs, the group claims its mission is “in the vein” of Maha, and rightwing media has called AFIT a Maha group.

AFIT pushed for draft legislation written by Republican senator Roger Marshall, called the Better Food Disclosure Act, that initially included language that would kill state laws that require truth-in-labeling for toxic food ingredients.

Amid backlash and pressure from Maha leaders, public health nonprofits, and a bipartisan group of state legislators, Marshall this week struck the language from the bill, which includes other changes to US Food and Drug Administration rules.

State laws on toxins in food “have had some of the most meaningful impactful”, said Vani Hari, a prominent Maha social media figure also known as the Food Babe, who met with Marshall.

“For far too long the food industry has led the conversation in Washington, and now the table has turned – every day mothers are being heard by their congressmembers,” she said. “It’s inspiring to see someone like Senator Marshall stand up to big food, and put the health of families before corporate profits.”

AFIT did not respond to questions. In a statement, a spokesperson wrote: “Voters, including those in the Maha movement, overwhelmingly trust President Trump and Secretary Kennedy to take the lead on ensuring that they can have confidence in the products on their grocery store shelves, as 87% prefer a national uniform standard instead of a state-by-state patchwork.”