Advancing Regenerative Agriculture and Strengthening American Farm Resilience
This Presidential Action establishes a policy to advance American farm resilience by promoting precision agriculture technologies and significantly increasing Federal investment and research in regenerative agriculture practices, building upon the work of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission.
The directive tasks the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with prioritizing the registration of newer, safer chemical alternatives and mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) fund research challenges through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to better evaluate cumulative chemical exposures.
Furthermore, the Secretary of Agriculture must maximize and expand the existing Regenerative Pilot Program through public-private partnerships to support farmers adopting these sustainable methods.
Arguments For
Supports American farmers and ranchers by investing over $1 billion in modernization and food supply security, building on the existing MAHA Commission mission.
Promotes the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, which are cited to strengthen soil health, lower input costs, increase profitability, and maintain yields for farmers.
Directs the EPA to expedite the registration of newer, safer chemical alternatives, aiming to modernize agricultural inputs and ensure environmental standards are met.
Encourages scientific innovation by tasking NIH and ARPA-H with developing new methodologies to evaluate cumulative chemical exposure and identify technologies that reduce reliance on conventional pesticides.
Arguments Against
The focus on expediting EPA registration actions for new substances might raise concerns if it compromises thorough safety reviews, potentially impacting environmental or human health standards.
The order directs expansion of the Regenerative Pilot Program but relies on existing authorities and public-private partnerships, which may face limitations in scope or funding compared to new direct legislative appropriations.
Directing research priorities without mandating specific regulatory actions could lead to slow integration of findings into current practices, as the order explicitly states it does not require regulatory action beyond statutory requirements.
Prioritizing these initiatives might divert focus or resources from other critical agricultural or health challenges not addressed in this specific directive.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
This opening line formally states that the President is issuing an official directive based on the constitutional and legal authority granted to the executive office.
Section 1. Purpose and Policy. Executive Order 14212 of February 13, 2025 (Establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission) established the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, with an initial mission to address the childhood chronic disease crisis, and directed the involved executive departments and agencies to work with farmers to ensure that United States food is the healthiest, most abundant, and most affordable in the world. American farmers and ranchers are essential partners in achieving the MAHA agenda, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have already made a historic investment of over $1 billion in accelerating farm modernization and long‑term food supply security.
American farmers and ranchers have always prioritized care of their land and are increasingly interested in adopting innovative conservation farming practices like regenerative agriculture. These practices strengthen soil health, lower input costs, improve chemical efficiency to reduce overall use, improve farm profitability, maintain yields, increase market value, expand access to new markets, and strengthen rural economies. My Administration is committed to further actions that support farmers and ranchers as they seek to adopt these practices.
Therefore, it is the policy of the United States to promote continued advances in precision agriculture technologies; significantly increase Federal investment in regenerative agriculture practices, research, and education; and spur private-sector innovation in farm modernization by reducing red tape and strengthening public-private partnerships. These actions empower American farmers and ranchers with the additional mechanisms to ensure a healthy, abundant, and affordable food supply for the American people.
This section outlines the rationale and goals for the order, referencing the prior establishment of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission aimed at combatting childhood disease and ensuring high-quality, affordable food.
It recognizes American farmers as key partners in this goal, noting prior investments by HHS, USDA, and EPA totaling over $1 billion.
The policy explicitly commits the nation to advancing precision agriculture, substantially increasing Federal funding for regenerative agriculture research and education, and stimulating private sector modernization by cutting regulatory hurdles and bolstering public-private partnerships.
This framework intends to equip farmers with better tools to maintain a healthy and affordable national food supply.
Sec. 2. Ensuring Access to Modern Products and Practices and Accurate Labeling. (a) The Administrator of the EPA (Administrator) shall prioritize registration actions related to substances that can be used as alternatives to older active ingredients; provided, that the Administrator shall undertake all registration actions, including human health and ecological risk assessments, as expeditiously as possible as required by statute.
Section 2 focuses on modernizing agricultural products and ensuring accurate labeling.
Subsection (a) directs the EPA Administrator to give priority to registering new, alternative substances that can replace older active ingredients.
This process must still adhere to statutory requirements for risk assessments regarding human health and the environment, but the goal is to complete these actions as quickly as legally possible.
(b) The Administrator shall, consistent with existing statute and regulations, review all available data for registered pre-harvest desiccation uses and ensure alignment with all applicable safety and environmental standards, including accurate labeling of chemical products.
Subsection (b) requires the EPA Administrator to review all existing data concerning chemicals used to dry crops before harvest (pre-harvest desiccation).
This review must confirm that labeling is accurate and that the uses comply with all current safety and environmental regulations.
(c) The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of HHS, and the Administrator shall expedite development of a research and evaluation framework for cumulative exposure across chemical classes that are regulated by statute in the food supply. This research shall focus on using and developing New Approach Methodologies to promote scientific understanding of human health and environmental risks of chemical contaminants in the food supply, and addressing these risks for greater food security and safety. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to direct the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of HHS, or the Administrator to take any regulatory action beyond current statutory requirements.
Under subsection (c), the heads of USDA, HHS, and EPA must speed up the creation of a framework to evaluate cumulative exposure to different regulated chemicals found in the food supply.
The research must use New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) to better understand both human health and environmental risks associated with these contaminants to improve food safety.
However, this paragraph specifically prohibits the Secretaries and the Administrator from using this mandate to impose regulatory actions that exceed their existing legal authorities.
(d) The Secretary of HHS, in consultation with the USDA Office of Pest Management Policy and EPA Office of Pesticide Programs, shall issue a grand prize challenge from the National Institutes of Health for researchers to identify creative solutions for evaluating the exposure, diagnosis, and treatments of cumulative chemical exposures on individual health. The Secretary of HHS shall, through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, also prioritize research to identify new, innovative, and cost-effective technologies that reduce reliance on conventional chemical crop protection tools in order to reduce risks to human health.
Subsection (d) directs the Secretary of HHS, in consultation with USDA and EPA pesticide offices, to launch a grand prize competition through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
This challenge seeks novel ways to assess exposure levels, diagnose the effects, and treat health issues stemming from cumulative chemical exposure in individuals.
Additionally, HHS, via the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), must prioritize funding for innovative, affordable technologies that lessen the dependence on traditional chemical crop protection methods.
Sec. 3. Promoting Regenerative Agriculture Practices and Enhancing Farmer Prosperity. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture shall maximize the funding of the current Regenerative Pilot Program and evaluate ways to expand the reach of the program, including by sharing the results of the program with a broad audience of stakeholders. This expansion shall include using existing authorities to create public-private partnerships that can bring new capacity to producers interested in adopting regenerative practices.
Section 3 focuses on boosting farmer prosperity via regenerative farming.
Subsection (a) mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture must maximize the funding currently allocated to the Regenerative Pilot Program.
The Secretary must also seek means to broaden the program’s influence, such as widely sharing its outcomes with interested parties.
Expansion efforts should leverage current legal powers to establish public-private partnerships that offer new support avenues for producers wishing to adopt regenerative methods.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
Section 4 details general administrative provisions.
Subsection (a) clarifies that the order does not impact or change the legal authority granted to any executive department, agency, or their respective heads.
It also ensures that the order does not interfere with the specific budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposal functions held by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
Subsection (b) states that the required actions must be carried out in compliance with all relevant laws and depends on the availability of necessary funding through appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Subsection (c) is a standard disclaimer indicating that the directive does not create any new enforceable legal rights or benefits, either in substance or procedure, for any individual or entity opposing the U.S. government or its officials.
(d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Subsection (d) assigns the Department of Health and Human Services the financial responsibility for covering the costs associated with officially publishing this executive order.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
June 25, 2026.
This concluding section includes the signature of the President, Donald J. Trump, and the date and location where the Presidential Action was issued: The White House, June 25, 2026.
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