ANDY KOENIG: Following Kennedy’s Lead On Ingredient Transparency

President Trump campaigned on the powerful promise to lower inflation and make America affordable again. From day one, the President’s agenda has revolved around lowering costs on everyday items after years of inflation squeezed household budgets, especially at the grocery store. Annual inflation in November 2025 fell to 2.7%. By comparison, inflation was 6.8% at the same point in President Biden’s presidency.

The Trump Administration is also working to reignite our economy by reducing regulations, unleashing energy production, cutting taxes, and spurring investment in America. The combination of economic growth and policies that will lower costs is the key to Republican success in the 2026 midterms. (RELATED: Industry Insiders Urge Congress For Deregulation As Midterm Deadline Looms)

Unfortunately, there is a looming regulatory threat to the economic progress being made by Trump. Right now, a state-by-state patchwork system of food, beverage, and personal care labeling and ingredient laws as well as regulations are being established across the country. Under this patchwork, an unworkable minefield of inconsistent overregulation will destroy jobs and drive prices through the roof.

As Trump made clear, American companies cannot operate if 50 different states adopt 50 different regulatory standards. The results for consumers and small businesses are predictable: higher costs, fewer choices, and more confusion.

Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently signaled his openness to a solution: A clear, national framework for ingredient transparency. He said it’s important such a national ingredient standard “is working for the states and working for the federal government, and that works for industry.”

Kennedy also echoed Trump when he said, “They don’t want to have rules in 50 different markets; that’s impossible.” Kennedy is right. One uniform framework would give every American the transparency they deserve without compromising Trump’s affordability agenda.

The American people agree with Kennedy’s assertion that 50 sets of label regulations are ridiculous. In a survey conducted by Fabrizio Ward of 1,000 voters across the 28 most competitive House districts, 87% said it’s important that ingredient and labeling rules be national rather than state-by-state. Voters across the political spectrum agree that a patchwork would raise costs, hurt small businesses, and limit consumer choice.

The best way to solve this problem is through legislation that creates a clear, understandable standard for ingredient transparency. That legislation would include a uniform regulatory approach to establish new ingredients that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS). A bill could also provide consistent front-of-package nutrition labeling and stronger digital disclosure.

These commonsense policies reinforce Trump’s broader affordability push while also supporting Kennedy’s call for congressional action to establish a clear, national standard for ingredient transparency.

Some well-intentioned policy observers will argue that states are already leading on the issue of ingredient transparency and Congress should stay on the sidelines. This view, however, disregards Congress’ Constitutional mandate to normalize interstate commerce, ignores conservative precedent, and undermines the core limited government principle of reducing regulatory burdens on the private sector.

First, the products sold in our grocery stores are national by their very nature. Ingredients are sourced across state lines, products are manufactured at scale, and grocery shelves are stocked through highly integrated distribution networks. This is how the American food supply chain thrives. The Constitution is clear that regulating interstate commerce is a federal responsibility. It is Congress that is empowered by our founders to oversee economic activity that crosses state lines, which means that ingredient safety and transparency is best regulated at the federal level.

Second, conservatives have supported setting national standards when states establish overburdensome and fragmented rules. Republicans have supported establishing clear federal standards with regard to issues like emissions standards, energy production, aviation, and tort reform.

Third, when states impose conflicting or duplicative labeling rules, companies are forced to redesign packaging, reformulate products, or withdraw items from certain markets altogether. Those costs do not disappear. They show up in higher grocery bills, reduced product availability, and growing confusion for families simply trying to make informed choices.

Trump is leading the way to lower costs for Americans with his affordability agenda. Now, Kennedy has opened the door to a national solution for ingredient transparency that also prioritizes lower costs at the grocery store. Congress should follow the administration’s lead and pass one standard for nationwide transparency in 2026. Voters support ingredient transparency for all Americans based on a national, uniform standard, regardless of their zip code.

Andy Koenig is a senior advisor to Americans for Ingredient Transparency. Koenig is a former White House Special Assistant to President Donald Trump in the Office of Legislative Affairs.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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