FARE-Priority Advocacy Measure Advances

McLEAN, Va.—June 4, 2025—In response to the release of the House Appropriations Committee’s Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, CEO of FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), issued the following statement:

“FARE commends the House Appropriations Committee, its Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, and Chairmen Tom Cole and Andy Harris, for including language requiring the inclusion of peanut-containing foods in infant food packages under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), for the purposes of early introduction of potentially allergenic foods. Research—particularly the landmark LEAP study—has demonstrated that the introduction of peanut protein early and often to infants starting at 4 to 6 months of age helps prevent the development of a potentially life-threatening peanut allergy. Moreover, USDA’s own Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, specifically advises, ‘Introducing peanut-containing foods in the first year reduces the risk that an infant will develop a food allergy to peanuts.’ This initiative is also supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases."

Dr. Poblete continued, “This cost-effective, evidence-based policy change can significantly decrease the frequency of the development of peanut allergy among children at high risk for this allergy. What’s more, it directly supports broader efforts to Make America Healthy Again, by reducing the risk of infants developing chronic disease through a vital program that promotes positive health outcomes long-term.”

FARE has led education and advocacy efforts in support of Congressional efforts to amend the WIC program in this manner, having intensified its efforts after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) did not embrace the strong, science-based recommendation that early introduction of peanut can prevent a life-long food allergy by not including peanut products in WIC’s infant food packages when they were updated at the culmination of USDA’s 10-year review process in April 2024.

Peanut allergy is among the most common causes of anaphylaxis, a serious, life-threatening reaction.

At the state level, FARE’s advocacy priorities have continued to develop with FARE updating its position on California Senate Bill 68 known as the ADDE Act to ‘support with amendments’ following an intensive effort to advance an updated version of the bill. In Pennsylvania, FARE is planning an advocacy event in support of House Bill 77 known as the Briden Bill. Both bills support food allergy diner-safety in restaurants.