Nutrition & Growing Consumption

9 out of 10 Americans do not meet The Dietary Guidelines for Americans fruit & vegetable consumption recommendations.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program has shown to decrease obesity rates and reduce plate waste.

The updated WIC fruit and vegetable benefit has more than doubled the variety of fruits and vegetables purchased by WIC participants.

Produce Prescription interventions in Medicaid have lowered hospitalization rates and reduced healthcare spending by an average of $1700 per patient annually.

8 out of 10 healthcare dollars are spent
on preventable chronic diseases.

Background

In the U.S., only one in 10 people consume the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables. More than three-quarters of Americans are overweight or obese, and more than 80 percent of healthcare dollars are spent on preventable chronic diseases. Reversing the nation’s diet-related diseases demands a systemic approach targeted at increasing Americans’ consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Italian traditional dish with eggplant, tomatoes, olives, mozzarella and basil

2026 Nutrition Priorities

Farm Bill

Expand USDA procurement of fresh produce and transition from lowest-cost bid to values-based procurement by leveraging the existing fresh produce supply chain.
Increase food bank access to fresh produce by allowing states the option to utilize 20% of their federal Emergency Feeding Assistance Program (TEFAP) allotment towards fresh produce via the USDA DoD Fresh Program.
Extend USDA's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to more elementary schools around the country.
Increase fruit and vegetable access in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through produce incentives.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

Protect and fully fund the monthly fruit and vegetable benefit, including expediating efforts to allow WIC redemption online.

Health and Human Services and FDA

Establish Produce Prescriptions as a standard practice of clinical care covered in government health insurer systems, including Medicare, Medicaid, Indian Health Services, and Veterans Health Administration.
Make fruits and vegetables eligible purchases in Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts.
Support disclosure of "meaningful amounts" of fruits and vegetables in the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) consumer transparency labeling reform efforts.

School Nutrition

Ensure National School Lunch and Breakfast Program standards are adequately funded and provide students with access to a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Expand availability of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.

Mollie Van Lieu

Vice President, Food & Nutrition Policy

Government Relations

+1(202)303-3403 Email Mollie Van Lieu

Nutrition & Growing Consumption