Ever since Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, the first 100 days of an American president's term have been deeply relevant to their entire term due to their economic and social impact through legislative actions. 

Concerning the importance of this period, the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) organized a panel with their policy experts to break down the key actions and priorities of the new Administration’s first 100 days. 

President Trump’s first 100 days have been very active, and have affected not only the U.S. but countries worldwide with its aggressive trade policies and actions. 

Alexis Taylor, Chief Global Policy Officer at IFPA, said U.S. policy, "including those related to agriculture and the farm sector, significantly impacts global food security, trade relationships, and economic stability, making it critical for countries around the world."

Additionally, the policies influence global environmental practices and can drive technological advances that benefit agriculture worldwide. 

Actions of most consequence to fresh produce industry 

Mollie Van Lieu, Vice President of Nutrition & Health at IFPA, said that, without a doubt, the appointment of Robert Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services has had the most impact on nutrition and health. 

"He took the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, which started with his own presidential campaign, and embedded it into the administration," Van Lieu said.  

The movement focuses on the root causes of chronic disease in the U.S., focusing on children. The full report will be published on May 23. 

IFPA has sent recommendations regarding MAHA's potential policies to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. 

Restrictions on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are among the most relevant for the industry, as the Secretary has mentioned the submission of waivers for restricting certain foods within the program. 

These waivers ban soft drinks, candy, and confections from the program. 

Labor and business

Regarding the administration's impact on labor, John Hollay, Director of U.S. Government Relations at IFPA, said the new administration has not taken action in the labor space. 

"There was a lot of discussion about enforcement during the campaign across the country, but that simply hasn't occurred at the scale the industry anticipated," he said. "We haven't seen the large-scale raids or mass enforcement actions we thought."

Some actions were taken at the end of the Biden administration, but they haven't occurred since Trump took office. 

Hollay indicated that during a cabinet meeting in April, Trump told the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Agriculture that one of his priorities was to ensure that farmers have access to their workers, including those undocumented. 

"Having a president that understands our challenges was one of our big priorities, and that was evident by his comments," Holley said. However, he said they are waiting to see how the president's comments align with policy and enforcement action in the field. 

"As the industry and the President continue working to frame the issue of labor crisis as a labor crisis and not an immigration crisis, it opens the doors for conversations with new members of Congress," Holley said. 

Impact on production

Sara Neagu-Reed, director of production and environmental policy at IFPA, who also participated in the webinar, says several actions have impacted fresh produce production in the U.S., particularly through budgetary decisions. 

"The administration's proposed budget cuts and pauses on program funding have raised questions and concerns about the level of support for USDA programs vital to the fresh produce industry," Neagu-Reed said. 

She highlighted the IRA reduction act-funded programs, which have been paused to review their overall effectiveness and functionality. Also, marketing assistance for specialty crop programs was just recently unfrozen to release the remaining funds for growers who incur costs related to marketing challenges during last year's inflationary period. 

"Several weeks back, the USDA announced the cancellation of two federal programs that provided nearly $1 billion in funding to schools and food banks to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables directly from local farms and producers, which led to disruptions in parts of the industry," she said. 

As officials wait for this week's MAHA report, the topic of pesticides remains relevant, as certain measures could threaten the industry if included in the report. 

"We have been proactively engaging in sharing the importance of pesticides before the report comes out, in addition to the overall value of commercial-scale production for conventional, organic, and regenerative produce," she said. 

Staffing changes in the USDA

Neagu-Reed also expressed her surprise regarding recent staffing changes in the USDA, which she says have created questions and uncertainty for vital programs like the plant pest and quarantine program, which she said requires consistent oversight to continue guarding entry points from pests. 

"The reduction of staff in general has impacted the stability of these efforts, but there are discussions about the potential return of some of this personnel. We have to see how this unfolds," she said. 

She also encouraged webinar participants to contact IFPA if they are experiencing any challenges or delays due to USDA staffing changes. 

Related article: Over 15,000 USDA employees have quit through Trump's financial incentives

Looking ahead to the next 100 days

Panelists expressed a sense of anticipation regarding what will happen with tariffs during the next few months and how that will affect costs and trade relations. 

IFPA continues to engage with the administration to vow not only for producers but also consumers in the U.S., trying to tackle some, if not all, of the biggest challenges within agriculture. 

"I expect a lot coming down the pipeline over the next six months, if not longer," Hollay said. 

Panelists agreed that the MAHA Commissioner's report will impact Congress and the administration's actions regarding the promise of improving the overall food environment and reducing chronic disease.