MAHA Groups Urge Trump Not to Expand School Meat Consumption

The Trump administration’s plan to increase protein consumption in schools across the US is drawing scrutiny from members of the “Make America Healthy Again” coalition, who are warning against making children eat more meat.

As the Agriculture Department gears up to align federal school meal programs with nutrition standards the government updated in January, health and agriculture organizations in a letter published Monday urged officials to reduce the amount of processed meat products available in schools and offer more nutritious alternatives.

The missive comes amid growing concern that USDA’s forthcoming rulemaking will seek to increase the amount of animal based proteins schools must offer students in their daily meals. Federal officials recommended Americans eat more protein and avoid highly processed foods in updated dietary guidelines set to shape federal food programs feeding millions through 2030.

“Analyses of school meal programs have long shown that protein adequacy is not the nutritional gap facing children. The more urgent public health priority is increasing dietary fiber and overall food quality,” said the letter, signed by MAHA-aligned nonprofits including Moms Across America and Children’s Health Defense.

Increasing the quantity of meat schools must offer students relying on federally funded meals without first overhauling how food is sourced and produced risks increasing consumption of highly processed options such as chicken nuggets and pizza, the coalition wrote.

The pushback signals the issue could become another flashpoint for MAHA followers who helped elect President Donald Trump but are concerned with his administration’s recent actions on pesticides and vaccines. So far, Trump officials have seen a warmer reception to their food-related efforts, which include scrutinizing food additives and creating a federal definition for ultra-processed foods.

The advocates encouraged officials to expand access to foods high in fiber and help schools procure more foods locally and cook them in-house.

Schools are also pressing the administration not to expand meat consumption requirements, arguing that existing portions already meet students’ protein needs.

A coalition of more than 900 school districts and nutritionists warned in a March 9 letter that doing so would increase labor and food expenses and potentially force schools to divert funds from offering fresh produce or meals made from scratch to pay for the meat mandate.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has said the USDA will release a proposed rule overhauling school meal standards by mid-spring.