Will we make America healthy again, and if so, who will be doing “it”? What exactly does “it” mean to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA)? And, where will it be happening?
Fortunately for policymakers and activists who care deeply about this work, we have the beginnings of a model in the state of Texas.
Organic and Natural Health Association recently had the honor of hosting Travis McCormick, founder of the Make Texans Healthy Again association and movement, at our annual conference. His process and success thus far demonstrates true reforms, albeit incremental, are possible. I will add that these incremental steps may prove to be the most effective and fastest pathway to increasing access and improving health outcomes.
Shortly after the 2024 elections, Texas adopted the MAHA agenda and engineered it to address the needs of Texans. Make Texans Healthy Again is an “advocacy organization dedicated to advancing state-level policies that prioritize prevention, improve nutrition and fitness, and promote transparency, affordability, access and freedom in healthcare and nutrition.”
Make Texans Healthy Again’s goals
The strategy is well articulated and rests across four primary objectives:
Transparency: Advocate for clear labeling of food, consumer products and medical costs so Texans can make informed choices without hidden surprises or agenda.
Affordability: Push for reforms that lower the cost of health care, prescriptions and high-quality food — putting health within reach for every family.
Access: Expand telemedicine, integrated medicine and health care provider scope-of-practice rights to make medical care more accessible and innovative. Strengthen agriculture initiatives to ensure every Texan has access to affordable, fresh and local food.
Health freedom: Protect the rights of parents, health practitioners and individuals to make informed choices about health care and dietary practices without unnecessary government interference.
The Make Texans Healthy Again launched one month before the 2025 legislative session began, with no staff or budget. The organization passed 10 of its 15 top priorities, and 25 of the bills it supported became law.
Its successes include:
Enacting the first warning label law in the nation for harmful food additives banned in other Western nations.
The prohibition of dangerous additives and dyes from public school lunches.
And expanded access to nutrition and preventive care.
Contrast this success with the federal MAHA movement. A commission was created and a blueprint produced. The word “nutrient” was used 18 times, mostly in relation to the extremely vague definition of ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Vitamin D had two mentions: one as a micronutrient in vegetables and fruit; the other in relation to dairy. Glyphosate had its own victory party, with a reference that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) “found that 99% of food samples tested in 2023 were compliant with [Environmental Protection Agency] EPA’s safety limit.”
No one working in this arena is naive. We all know that agricultural and pharmaceutical interests drive decision-making in Congress and at federal agencies.
Are we to conclude that all advocacy efforts should be directed to the states and abandon federal work? Not at all.
However, Texas may well serve as our north star through its creation of new alliances and a genuine desire to effect change.
It is worth noting that some state legislators seek election to congressional offices. There are also associations of state legislators who also are making policy. The two major associations of elected state officials, American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL), also take stands on health care issues.
However, nothing has shown up with so much energy and genuine desire for change as what we are seeing with MTHA.
Natural products industry lessons
The language our industry can benefit from is showing up in the most surprising ways. As it turns out, real health care policy transcends party lines. It’s about people, who in this case are state legislators and their constituents. Politicians who want to improve the health of their residents are finding ways to do this work.
Contrast that with our efforts to find federal dollars to fund vitamin D initiatives and research for active-duty military. It’s incredibly logical, especially since we’ve documented the effectiveness of vitamin D in reducing preterm births on a military base.
Alas, logic is not the key to success. Congress is out of touch, out of patience and, in general, just out of sorts. Perhaps success can be found in our conference theme, “Building New Bridges to Opportunity,” and the potential to put down roots, so to speak, where we can be a part of the process and support the growth of a movement.
