Sex-changing frogs and infertile humans: Will MAHA target infamous herbicide contaminating America's water?



Atrazine is one of the most extensively used herbicides in the United States. On average, well over 70 million pounds of atrazine is sprayed every year on agricultural crops like corn and sugarcane.

This chlorotriazine herbicide — reportedly the most commonly detected herbicide in American tap water — is a potent endocrine and metabolic disruptor linked to numerous adverse health effects including birth defects, cancer, reduced sperm counts, and infertility.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized atrazine as "a surface water and groundwater contaminant that can enter waterways in agricultural runoff from row crops" and "cause human health problems if present in public or private water supplies in amounts greater than the drinking water standard set by EPA."

Atrazine, first registered for use in 1958 and banned by the European Union in 2004, enjoys continued support stateside by the agricultural industry despite having contaminated thousands of American communities' water supplies.

Despite years of pushback from concerned citizen and activist groups — including a class action lawsuit against agrichemical giant Syngenta, for instance, which resulted in a $105 million settlement with a number of impacted communities — the chemical compound continues to be sprayed, continues to adversely impact wildlife, and continues to leak into water systems.

That could soon change.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has repeatedly raised alarm about the herbicide, its ubiquity, and its adverse impacts on various forms of life. While campaigning for president last year, he promised he would ban the chemical outright if given the chance.

'It's a gay bomb, baby.'

Now that Kennedy is running both the Department of Health and Human Services and President Donald Trump's Make America Healthy Again Commission, he can press the issue of atrazine's ruinous health effects and perhaps even change some minds over at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates herbicides.

The meme

Various activists and advocacy groups have campaigned for decades against atrazine — the use of which farmers claim helps increase production revenue. However, one of the most effective critics in terms of drawing the public's attention to the herbicide's undesirable effects appears to have been Infowars founder Alex Jones.

RELATED: Who is bankrolling the anti-MAHA movement?

 OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images

In an October 2015 Infowars segment, Jones discussed the Pentagon's consideration in the early 2000s of a so-called "gay bomb" — a non-lethal chemical weapon that could hypothetically disperse unrelated sex pheromones among enemy forces and trigger homosexual engagements.

Jones segued to atrazine, saying, "What do you think tap water is? It's a gay bomb, baby."

What followed has since been memorialized in a myriad of memes.

"I don't like 'em putting chemicals in the water that turn the friggin' frogs gay," said Jones.

'Atrazine has caused a hormonal imbalance that has made them develop into the wrong sex, in terms of their genetic constitution.'

Elements of the mainstream media appeared desperate to characterize Jones' viral suggestion about the effects of the widely used herbicide atrazine as ludicrous.

CNBC, for instance, mentioned the chemical-induced changes in frogs second in a top-5 list of Jones' "most disturbing and ridiculous conspiracy theories." Jones' claims about government-executed weather modification, which are well-documented, also made CNBC's list.

An article in Forbes titled "Alex Jones' Top 10 Health Claims And Why They Are Wrong" similarly suggested that Jones was off his rocker on the matter of atrazine and sexually impacted amphibians. Forbes not only attacked Jones over his frog remarks but insinuated his claims about weather modification and fluoride's adverse impact on IQ — which the National Toxicology Program acknowledged as an unfortunate fact in a report last year — were "ridiculous."

As with weather modification and fluoride's retarding effect, Jones was sensational in his delivery but right over target.

The studies

In his famous rant, Jones was referencing a study by University of California, Berkeley endocrinologist and amphibian biologist Tyrone Hayes, which detailed how atrazine messed up the reproductive functions of adult male frogs — emasculating three-quarters of them and prompting one in 10 to develop female sexual organs.

RELATED: General Mills to remove artificial colors from cereals. Is chemical linked to infertility next on chopping block?

 Debra Ferguson/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Hayes told UC Berkeley News in 2010, "We have animals that are females, in the sense that they behave like females: They have estrogen, lay eggs, they mate with other males. Atrazine has caused a hormonal imbalance that has made them develop into the wrong sex, in terms of their genetic constitution."

"These kinds of problems, like sex-reversing animals skewing sex ratios, are much more dangerous than any chemical that would kill off a population of frogs," continued Hayes. "In exposed populations, it looks like there are frogs breeding but, in fact, the population is being very slowly degraded by the introduction of these altered animals."

Long before the media tried spinning Jones' claims as ridiculous, Syngenta, a major manufacturer of atrazine, tried downplaying Hayes' findings.

According to the New Yorker, Syngenta's public relations team identified over 100 "supportive third party stakeholders," including 25 professors, who would defend atrazine or serve as "spokespeople on Hayes."

'It's in 63% of our drinking water.'

While some of the apparent defenders of atrazine have suggested frogs are a poor stand-in for human beings, it's abundantly clear that the herbicide can also wreak havoc on human health.

For starters:

  • A 2001 paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives linked atrazine exposure to miscarriages.
  • A 2006 paper in Environmental Health Perspectives linked atrazine exposure to reduced semen quality.
  • A 2011 paper in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Research noted that atrazine was "associated with menstrual cycle irregularity and altered hormones."
  • A 2011 paper in Environmental Health Perspectives noted that "the presence versus absence of quantifiable levels of atrazine or a specific atrazine metabolite was associated with fetal growth restriction ... and small head circumference for sex and gestational age."
  • A 2018 paper in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health noted "an association between atrazine concentrations in drinking water and the odds of term [low birth weight] births within communities served by water systems enrolled in [the EPA's] Atrazine Monitoring Program in Ohio."
  • A 2020 paper in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Endocrinology indicated atrazine might contribute to the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
  • A 2024 paper in Environmental Health Perspectives highlighted associated cancer risks among applicators of atrazine.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Scientific Advisory Panel concluded in a 2011 review of the human health impacts of atrazine that "the cancers for which there is suggestive evidence of carcinogenic potential include: ovarian cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, hairy-cell leukemia and thyroid cancer."

The panel suggested further that the jury was out at the time regarding associations between atrazine and prostate cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, esophageal cancers, and childhood cancers.

Despite atrazine's apparent linkages to various medical issues, the EPA concluded in a 2018 human health risk assessment that "there are no dietary (food), residential handler, non-occupational spray drift, or occupational post-application risk estimates of concern for the registered uses of atrazine."

Two years later, the same agency stated, "Atrazine is likely to adversely affect 54 percent of all species and 40 percent of critical habitats."

The MAHA momentum

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized the use of atrazine on multiple occasions.

In September 2024, Kennedy tweeted, "We need to ban atrazine now."

"It's banned in Europe, banned all over the world, but we use it here. It's in 63% of our drinking water," Kennedy told Jordan Peterson in a September 2024 interview.

"We don't know what impact it's having on our children."

RELATED: BPA is no longer the stuff of baby bottles, but it still might be a big problem

 Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Kennedy noted on his own podcast in 2022, "The capacity for these chemicals that we are just raining down on our children right now to induce these very profound sexual changes in them is something we need to be thinking about as a society."

Kennedy's concerns appear to have followed him onto the MAHA Commission.

The 68-page MAHA Commission report, which came out in May, recognized that "children's unique behaviors and developmental physiology make them particularly vulnerable to potential adverse health effects" from cumulative exposures to various chemicals. In addition to microplastics, fluoride, phthalates, and bisphenols, the report mentioned crop protection tools, including atrazine, as chemicals requiring further study.

"In experimental animal and wildlife studies, exposure to another herbicide (atrazine) can cause endocrine disruption and birth defects," said the report.

'The second policy report will be a prescription for America.'

Despite the commission signaling a desire to ensure "not just the survival, but the prosperity, of American Farmers," and indicating farmers' crop protection tools won't be targeted with further restrictions or regulations without "thoughtful consideration," the Triazine Network, a coalition of groups involved in the regulation of atrazine, complained that "the assertion in the MAHA Commission's report that pesticides such as atrazine are responsible for childhood illness is irresponsible, inaccurate, and is not backed by credible scientific data."

The MAHA Report also struck a nerve with Alexandra Dunn, president and CEO of CropLife America — a trade association of agrochemical companies.

"Pesticides are thoroughly studied and highly regulated for safety," Dunn said in a statement. "This report will stir unjustified fear and confusion among American consumers who live in the country with the safest and most abundant food supply."

While it might upset manufacturers of pesticides, recent polling suggests Americans are dissatisfied with the status quo and want a closer look at what goes into their food and drink.

The latest Axios/Ipsos American Health Index poll revealed that 87% of Americans say "the government should do more to make sure food is safe, such as updating nutritional guidelines, adding labels to foods with artificial dyes, or reducing exposure to pesticides."

When pressed for comment about future plans concerning atrazine, an HHS spokesperson told Blaze News that "after the MAHA Report, the next step is to develop policy recommendations, grounded in gold-standard science and common sense. This report is a diagnosis."

"The second policy report will be a prescription for America," continued the spokesperson. "As the report outlines, Secretary Kennedy is committed to thoughtful consideration of what is necessary for adequate protection, alternatives, and cost of production."

Blaze News reached out for comment to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — which is working on its Updated Mitigation Proposal for atrazine — but did not receive a response by deadline.

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RFK’s Latest Idea Has Some In MAHA Scratching Their Heads

'Biometric data is irreplaceable, making it a highly sought-after asset in the digital age'

Dark politics changed her mind about Christianity



After covering a little too much darkness in the world, journalist Jessica Reed Kraus of House Inhabit has opened her Bible and started on a spiritual journey.

And BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey is not only thrilled to hear it but well-aware that encountering darkness can often lead someone to the light.

“I hear from a lot of people who previously, they didn’t believe, or maybe they were just agnostic, and they didn’t know that it was actually seeing evil, in whatever context, some people it’s Hollywood, for some people it’s politics, for some people it’s in their own life, that kind of turns the light on,” Stuckey tells Kraus on “Relatable.”

“And they’re like, ‘Oh, if there’s objective evil and darkness, then there must be objective goodness and light too,’” she adds.


“Absolutely,” Kraus agrees. “That’s sort of an underlying theme now, is good and evil and darkness and light and what you’re giving your energy to.”

Some of the darkness she had seen prior to beginning her spiritual journey is attributed to covering celebrities like Britney Spears, whose fall from grace has served as entertainment for the masses — and one she could no longer cover after a certain point.

“When it weighs me in a negative and sort of a dark way, I will usually kind of back away,” she says.

However, Kraus didn’t always feel drawn to the Bible, as growing up around liberals, the topic of God was “shunned.”

“You just kind of instinctively know not to bring up God and religion,” she explains, noting that when she was working on the campaign trail with the Trump team and the Kennedy team, it couldn’t have been more different, and people were very open with prayer and faith.

“It felt like it was a really cool thing to witness,” she adds.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

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USDA exploring possibility of mass vaccinations for American poultry despite RFK Jr.'s warnings



Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warned earlier this year that vaccinating poultry against highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5) viruses might transform farms into incubators for mutant viruses — viruses that could potentially leap to humans.

"All of my agencies have advised against the vaccination of birds," Kennedy told Fox News' Sean Hannity, "because if you vaccinate with a leaky vaccine — in other words, a vaccine that does not provide sterilizing immunity, that does not absolutely protect against the disease — you turn those flocks into mutation factories."

"They're teaching the organism how to mutate," continued Kennedy. "And it's much more likely to jump to animals if you do that."

Despite Kennedy's concern — which is apparently shared by the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration — the U.S. Department of Agriculture is looking seriously at mass vaccinations for American poultry.

A USDA spokesperson told Blaze News that the USDA "is exploring the viability of vaccinating poultry for HPAI" but noted that the "use of any vaccine has not been authorized at this time."

This vaccine exploration appears to have taken on greater energy in February when egg prices were reaching record highs.

After flying south of $3 between 1994 and 2022, the price for a dozen eggs began to rise dramatically during the second half of the Biden era, then even higher earlier this year, reaching an all-time average high of $6.22 in March.

RELATED: The 'cage-free' myth: Why everything you think you know about ethical eggs is wrong

 Allen J. Schaben/Getty Images

Although there were multiple factors at play — including the shift in various states to cage-free hens and record consumer demand — the price spikes were largely driven by the mass exterminations of commercial and backyard bird populations ordered by the USDA in response to HPAI viruses.

Blaze News previously noted that between Feb. 8, 2022 — when the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service first confirmed bird flu belonging to the clade 2.3.4.4b in an American commercial flock — and March 2025, the USDA directed the extermination of over 166.41 million birds. Fewer egg-laying birds naturally means diminished supply and higher prices.

'Vaccination in any poultry sector — egg layers, turkeys, broilers, or ducks — will jeopardize the entire export market for all U.S. poultry products.'

In a Feb. 26 op-ed, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins outlined "five steps to tackle avian flu and bring down costs for American families."

In addition to dedicating up to $500 million to help American poultry producers implement "gold-standard" biosecurity measures, increasing financial relief to farms whose flocks are affected by avian flu, removing "unnecessary regulatory burdens on egg producers where possible," and considering temporary import options, Rollins said her agency would "provide up to $100 million in research and development of vaccines and therapeutics, to improve their efficacy and efficiency."

Although egg prices have returned to relatively normal levels, a USDA spokesperson told Blaze News that the agency continues "to evaluate the potential use of vaccines."

"Before making a determination, USDA, in consultation with federal partners, will solicit feedback from state officials, veterinarians, farmers, the public health system, and the American public," said the spokesperson. "USDA is working with federal and state officials and industry stakeholders to develop a potential plan for vaccine use in the United States."

Reuters indicated that industry members anticipate that the agency will complete its plan in July.

RELATED: Cleaning up Biden’s bird flu mess falls to Trump

  Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (left) and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins (right). Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

There is some controversy over the potential mass vaccination of poultry on the business side of the equation.

Dr. John Clifford, a former USDA chief veterinary officer who advises the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, told Reuters that chicken meat producers would be dealt a crushing blow if importers stopped importing U.S. poultry over concerns that vaccines were masking the presence of HPAI in flocks.

Some industry groups are, however, warming up to the idea.

Although the National Chicken Council previously suggested that "vaccination in any poultry sector — egg layers, turkeys, broilers, or ducks — will jeopardize the entire export market for all U.S. poultry products," they have since suggested they are on board with the program if exports go unaffected.

The United Egg Producers are apparently even more gung-ho, having helped hatch a plan suggesting an initial vaccination for baby chicks, a subsequent booster shot, then routine testing.

Nicolas Hulscher, an epidemiologist and administrator at the McCullough Foundation, has suggested mass poultry vaccinations are unwise, telling Blaze News that Kennedy's "worries about mass animal H5N1 bird flu vaccination are fully grounded in robust science."

'Biosecurity remains the best and most prudent approach to mitigate the impact of the disease today.'

When asked about the possibility that the USDA might nevertheless proceed with the mass vaccination agenda, Hulscher said that "the USDA is ignoring the glaring risks of creating dangerous mutant strains with their plans to mass vaccinate poultry against bird flu amidst a bird flu animal pandemic."

Blaze News senior editor Daniel Horowitz drove home the point in a recent op-ed, noting that "leaky, waning vaccines that rely on suboptimal antibodies against rapidly mutating viruses can lead to immune tolerance and imprinting. This can cause the immune system to misfire, resulting in negative efficacy. Any short-term protection against severe disease often comes at a long-term cost as the viruses adapt and grow stronger."

Hulscher suggested that the best way forward when tackling HPAI in domestic flocks is better biosecurity: "Installing surface-air purification systems into farms, combined with iodine-based nasal/oral prophylaxis for farm workers, is a much less risky option than mass vaccination."

On this, it appears the USDA agrees.

The agency spokesperson told Blaze News that in the meantime, "because biosecurity remains the best and most prudent approach to mitigate the impact of the disease today, USDA also continues pursuing collaborative efforts with poultry farmers and companies on education, training, and implementation of comprehensive biosecurity measures."

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HHS’s New Vaccine Board To Look Into ‘Cumulative Effects’ Of Vaccines For Children

After replacing the Big Pharma-tied members of the vaccine advisory committee at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a systematic review of the childhood immunization schedule to determine its “cumulative effects.” Kennedy announced the review at a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on […]

RFK Jr. triggers Democratic hysterics after pointing out Big Pharma contributions to Rep. Pallone



Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparred this week with a Democratic member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health who evidently could dish it out but couldn't take it.

Kennedy was ultimately asked to take back a conclusion he reached on the basis of facts about New Jersey Democrat Rep. Frank Pallone's receipt of millions of dollars in campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical industry.

Pallone used his time Tuesday during the hearing concerning the Department of Health and Human Services' 2026 budget to attack Kennedy, suggesting he is a purveyor of a pseudo-scientific agenda that threatens the lives of the American people.

"Mr. Secretary, the science is not on your side. I just really think that people are going to die as a result of your actions and congressional Republicans' actions," said Pallone.

One of Pallone's biggest themes was that Kennedy's work lacked transparency. However, when the health secretary attempted to provide answers, Pallone shut down the dialogue.

"You have made a number of major decisions about vaccines. And … there's been no public comment process or public accountability on that either. What are you afraid of?" asked Pallone. "I mean, with regard to vaccines, are you just afraid of receiving public comments on proposals where you just think these are fringe views that are contrary to the views of most scientists and that the public comments will reflect this?"

Kennedy responded, "We have a public process for regulating vaccines. It's called the ACIP committee, and it's a public meeting."

At the mention of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Pallone noted that Kennedy had fired the Biden appointees on the panel.

RELATED: How Big Pharma left its mark on woke CDC vax advisory panel — and what RFK Jr. did about it

  Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Kennedy canned all 17 Biden administration appointees on the ACIP earlier this month, stressing in a corresponding op-ed that "the committee has been plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine."

Data provided on OpenPaymentData.CMS.gov, a site managed by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, indicates Kennedy's concerns were not misplaced, revealing just how cozy some of the former members were with the organizations whose products they were tasked with scrutinizing.

For example, former ACIP member Edwin Jose Asturias apparently collected around $54,000 from pharmaceutical companies, including $20,705 in what appear to be consulting fees.

Among the companies that paid Asturias what appear to have been consulting fees were Pfizer and Merck Sharpe & Dohme LLC, a bio-pharmaceutical subsidiary of the company whose pneumococcal vaccine Capvaxive the committee voted to recommend in October.

'You were the leading member of Congress on that issue.'

Blaze News previously reported that Asturias also appears to have received millions of dollars in research support from Big Pharma, including over $3.1 million from Pfizer and over $730,000 from the British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline LLC.

"I fired people who had conflicts with the pharmaceutical industry," Kennedy told Pallone.

Despite his supposed desire for answers, Pallone interrupted Kennedy in order to resume attacking him.

When subsequently questioned by Republican Rep. Neal Dunn (Fla.) about how he intended to restore public trust in the health establishment, Kennedy volunteered a quick answer, then tore into Pallone.

RELATED: Kennedy has Big Pharma ads in his sights — and he's not the only one mulling a crackdown

 Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Protect Our Care

"Congressman Pallone, 15 years ago, you and I met. You were, at that time, a champion for people who had suffered injuries from vaccines. You were very adamant about it. You were the leading member of Congress on that issue," said Kennedy. "Since then, you've accepted $2 million from pharmaceutical companies in contributions — more than any other member of this committee."

According to OpenSecrets, Pallone has received over $2.2 million from the pharmaceuticals/health products industry and over $5 million from health professionals since 1989.

Just last year, Pallone received over $15,000 in campaign contributions from PACs and individuals linked to Johnson & Johnson and $21,200 from individuals at Amneal Pharmaceuticals.

"Your enthusiasm for supporting the old ACIP committee, which was completely rife and pervasive with pharmaceutical conflicts, seems to be an outcome of those contributions," added Kennedy.

Colorado Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette rushed to Pallone's defense, claiming that Kennedy was "impugning Mr. Pallone" and had implied that "Mr. Pallone would not fight for vaccine victims because he took money from the pharmaceutical industry."

Pallone similarly suggested that Kennedy's words should be "taken down."

After Subcommittee Chair Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) suggested DeGette's point of order was valid, Kennedy said with a smirk that his remarks "are retracted."

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RFK Jr.’s controlled demolition of Big Pharma’s billion-dollar commercial scheme



Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is setting his sights on pharmaceutical companies yet again by attempting to hinder them from making commercials and advertisements for their products.

His plan is to require drugmakers to be completely transparent about the side effects of their products, because including all the side effects will increase the run time and drive up the cost of production exponentially.

And BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales couldn’t be happier, as she believes a lot of their commercials are not only ridiculous but are selling a magic pill rather than inspiring potential clients to take control of their health naturally.


One commercial for Jardiance from 2023 features an overweight cast dancing and singing a catchy tune about lowering their A1C.

“You look at that commercial, and that’s just a perfect representation of why RFK is doing this. They’ve got this high production value, they’ve got musical theater. Now, I don’t think it’s appealing, but clearly the point is to appeal to people by using this cutesy little song,” Gonzales says on “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered.”

“It masks the really brief mention of all of these dangerous side effects. You don’t hear that, you just hear the music,” she adds.

“Your skin’s going to melt off by day 90,” BlazeTV contributor Jaco Booyens jokes, adding, “You know the average price spend is close to $3 million per commercial.”

And Gonzales personally knows that the pills they’re spending so much to advertise aren’t the be-all and end-all for those struggling to get healthy.

“I used to be 100 pounds heavier. I lost the weight naturally, you can, too. And so I take personal offense to this, like, just take a pill, here. Just take a pill. Like, all of those women were obese, and they need to consider lifestyle changes rather than taking a pill just to get rid of their diabetes,” she says.

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Starbucks going MAHA? RFK Jr. meets with CEO, applauds natural ingredient push



Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to make inroads with the food industry, meeting up with Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol earlier this week.

On Wednesday, Kennedy hosted Niccol in D.C., where the two men discussed the options at Starbucks. According to Kennedy, Niccol pledged "to further MAHA its menu."

'Our diverse menu of high-quality foods and beverages empower[s] customers to make informed nutritional decisions.'

Kennedy also congratulated the coffee giant for offering so many items featuring natural ingredients. "I was pleased to learn that Starbucks' food and beverages already avoid artificial dyes, artificial flavors, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and other additives," he said in an X post on Wednesday.

A representative from Starbucks confirmed to several outlets that Niccol and Kennedy had a productive meeting.

RELATED: Kennedy has Big Pharma ads in his sights — and he's not the only one mulling a crackdown

— (@)  
 

"Our diverse menu of high-quality foods and beverages empower[s] customers to make informed nutritional decisions, with transparency on ingredients, calories, and more. Plus, we keep it real — no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes, flavors, or artificial trans fats," the company said in a statement, according to Fox Business.

Kennedy has been on a tear lately, railing against the harmful effects of artificial food and beverage additives, especially artificial colorings. In April, his department and the Food and Drug Administration revealed a plan to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from America's food supply.

Starbucks has also announced several health-related changes in the last year. In November, the company decided to end the practice of charging extra for non-dairy milk. Then two months later, it began permitting customers to adjust the sweetness level in their matcha beverages.

Earlier this month, Starbucks revealed that a protein cold foam was undergoing testing and could soon be available. Niccol claimed he was inspired with the idea after watching Starbucks patrons adding protein powder to their purchases.

"I'm like, well, wait a second, we can make this experience better for them," he recalled, according to Axios.

Niccol told the outlet that the protein cold foam is not "years away" but "months away."

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East Palestine not forgotten: Vance confirms Trump admin will study fallout of nightmarish train disaster



Vice President JD Vance visited East Palestine, Ohio, on the second anniversary of the Feb. 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern train disaster, which darkened the sky over the village with hazardous chemicals, poisoned the surrounding environment, and threatened the health of nearby residents.

"President Trump just wanted to deliver a message that this community will not be forgotten, will not be left behind, and we are in it for the long haul in East Palestine," Vance told locals in the village's firehouse.

Vance confirmed Thursday that the Trump administration is returning in search of answers and results.

Vance joined the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya Thursday in announcing a five-year, $10 million research initiative to "assess and address" the health fallout from the derailment.

According to HHS, this multi-disciplinary series of studies will seek to understand the health impacts of chemical exposures on short- and long-term health outcomes, "including relevant biological markers of risk"; monitor the community's health in order to take preventative measures and support their health care decisions; and connect community members with relevant experts and officials in order to properly address their health concerns.

'We basically nuked a town with chemicals so we could get a railroad open.'

When the Norfolk Southern freight train consisting of 141 packed cars, nine empty cars, and three locomotives derailed in East Palestine in early 2023 due to a failed wheel bearing, 38 cars, 11 containing hazardous materials — including vinyl chloride, benzene residue, hydrogen chloride, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, and isobutylene — went off the tracks.

RELATED: Who is bankrolling the anti-MAHA movement?

  Photo by US Environmental Protection Agency / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

For fear that the fires engulfing the wreckage might trigger a "catastrophic tanker failure," railroad emergency crews conducted a vent and burn of five tanks of vinyl chloride, producing hydrogen chloride and phosgene gas — the latter of which was used to kill soldiers en masse in World War I.

The resulting columns of smoke that drifted over the village, which forced 2,000 residents to flee their homes, formed what the National Transportation Safety Board called a toxic "mushroom cloud."

After the controlled burn and amid reports of thousands of dead fish and dying livestock, hazardous materials specialist Silverio Caggiano told WKBN-TV, "We basically nuked a town with chemicals so we could get a railroad open."

The NTSB indicated in a June 2024 report that the decision to execute the controlled burn "was based on incomplete and misleading information provided by Norfolk Southern officials and contractors. The vent and burn was not necessary to prevent a tank car failure."

Not only was the decision misguided; it was ruinous.

Thousands of local creatures were killed, nearby waters were heavily contaminated, and possibly cancer-causing airborne toxins were sent into the air across multiple states well beyond.

Blaze News previously reported that the Environmental Protection Agency's preliminary data in 2023 found that "concentrations for nine of the approximately 50 chemicals measured were relatively high in comparison to the levels considered safe for lifetime exposure."

"Overall, if ambient levels persisted for these chemicals, they could pose health concerns, either individually (e.g., acrolein, a known respiratory irritant) or cumulatively. Thus, subsequent, spatiotemporal analysis was pertinent," added the report.

RELATED: JD Vance joined liberal Twitter knockoff Bluesky. Things went off the rails REALLY fast.

 Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

East Palestinians reported various health issues in the wake of the derailment, including headaches, gastrointestinal illness, and respiratory and skin irritations.

Owing to the nature of the chemicals and the duration of their exposure, many in East Palestine feared that there could also be long-term health impacts, especially on mothers and children.

The vice president said in a video shared to social media on Thursday that despite significant concerns from those in the area impacted by the derailment, the Biden administration "refused to do anything to actually study the effects of these long-term exposures on the people of East Palestine. Well, now we have a new president and a great new secretary of health and human services."

'Once again, this administration is showing the American people what true leadership looks like.'

"The people of East Palestine have a right to clear, science-backed answers about the impact on their health," said Kennedy.

— (@)  
 

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences indicated that it will distribute the committed $10 million in tranches of $2 million a year over the next five years for one to three awards. Experts have until July 21 to submit research proposals in hopes of securing funding.

NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya teased the initiative last month, telling Fox News' host Bret Baier he was looking forward to addressing "the health questions and the health needs of the American people with excellent, gold-standard research."

The initiative was celebrated by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R), Republican Sens. Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted, and Republican Reps. Mike Rulli and Dave Joyce.

"This funding will enable the people of East Palestine to have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that any potential for long-term health effects will be studied by the scientists at the National Institutes of Health," said DeWine. "I thank President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Secretary Kennedy for their commitment now and into the future."

"Once again, this administration is showing the American people what true leadership looks like — putting Americans first," said Rulli.

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General Mills to remove artificial colors from cereals. Is chemical linked to infertility next on chopping block?



Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. keeps racking up the wins in his campaign to help President Donald Trump make America a healthier nation, particularly on the dietary front.

His latest victory — and American consumers' by extension — was secured at General Mills, the American ultra-processed food giant with cereal brands that include Cheerios, Chex, Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms, and Wheaties.

General Mills announced plans on Tuesday to remove artificial colors from all of its U.S. cereals and all K-12 school foods by next summer. The company indicated that it also intends to remove all fake coloring from its full lineup of American-facing products by the end of 2027.

How it started

In April, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration outlined a plan to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from America's food supply.

The FDA initiated the process to revoke authorization for Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B in the short term and to eliminate another six synthetic dyes — FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2 — by the end of next year.

'That era is coming to an end.'

The agency also requested that companies move up their timelines for the removal of FD&C Red No. 3.

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 Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Vani Hari, a critic of the food industry who founded Food Babe, told Blaze News in November that the brighter artificial colors, which are helpful with sales and attractive to children, are harmful to their health.

"The science shows that these dyes cause hyperactivity in children, can disrupt the immune system, and are contaminated with carcinogens," said Hari. "There are safer colors available made from fruits and vegetables, such as beets and carrots. Food companies already don't use artificial dyes en masse in Europe because they don't want to slap warning labels on their products that say they 'may cause adverse effects on attention in children.'"

Extra to seeking the removal of the harmful chemicals, the FDA indicated in April that it would partner with the National Institutes of Health to conduct research on how food additives impact kids' health and development.

"For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent," said Kennedy. "These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development. That era is coming to an end. We're restoring gold-standard science, applying common sense, and beginning to earn back the public's trust."

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary noted that "given the growing concerns of doctors and parents about the potential role of petroleum-based food dyes, we should not be taking risks and do everything possible to safeguard the health of our children."

How it's going

A number of companies have proven amenable to the changes advocated by the Trump administration.

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 Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Thirteen days after HHS' announcement, Tyson Foods indicated it was on track to remove all petroleum-based dyes from its production process by the end of May. Top executives from PepsiCo, Danone North America, and TreeHouse Foods similarly signaled commitments to scrap artificial colors.

'When the government sets clear, science-based standards, the food industry listens and acts.'

The American fast-food chain In-N-Out Burger revealed last month that it was removing artificial coloring from two of its drinks and swapping out its high-fructose corn syrup-based ketchup for an alternative that uses real sugar.

A spokesman for the company told CNN that the changes were part of the chain's "ongoing commitment to providing our customers with the highest-quality ingredients."

Kennedy encouraged more companies to similarly volunteer "to prioritize Americans' health and join the effort to Make America Healthy Again."

Blaze News previously reported that Kraft Heinz got on board this week, stating that it will remove artificial food, drug, and cosmetic colors from products in the United States before the end of 2027.

"This voluntary step — phasing out harmful dyes in brands like Kool-Aid, Jell‑O, and Crystal Light — proves that when the government sets clear, science-based standards, the food industry listens and acts," tweeted Kennedy.

While stressing that 85% of its full U.S. retail portfolio is "currently made without certified colors," General Mills said Tuesday it would eliminate the remainder of artificial coloring in short order.

"Across the long arc of our history, General Mills has moved quickly to meet evolving consumer needs, and reformulating our product portfolio to remove certified colors is yet another example," said General Mills CEO Jeff Harmening.

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 Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

"Knowing the trust families place in us, we are leading the way on removing certified colors in cereals and K-12 foods by next summer. We're committed to continuing to make food that tastes great and is accessible to all," added the executive.

The removal of synthetic dyes from the food supply is a giant step, though there remains at least one chemical in cereals with effects that may warrant further action.

No artificial colors — but infertility?

A peer-reviewed study published last year in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology suggested that current concentrations of chlormequat chloride in oat-based foods "warrant more expansive toxicity resting, food monitoring, and epidemiological studies."

Researchers on the study from the Environmental Working Group, a chemical watchdog accused in recent years of exaggeration, indicated that food samples purchased in 2022 and 2023 "show detectable levels of chlormequat in all but two of 25 conventional oat-based products."

Quaker Oats and Cheerios were allegedly among the affected cereals.

'Do we really need more chemicals in our food?'

Chlormequat, first registered in the U.S. in 1962 as a plant growth regulator and recognized decades later by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as "toxic to wildlife," has been linked in animal studies to disrupted fetal growth, damage to the reproductive system, delayed puberty, and reduced fertility.

While the EPA suggested in 2023 that there were no dietary or residential risks of concern associated with human exposure to chlormequat, the 2024 study suggested that "more recent reproductive toxicity studies on chlormequat show delayed onset of puberty, reduced sperm motility, decreased weights of male reproductive organs, and decreased testosterone levels in rats exposed during sensitive windows of development, including during pregnancy and early life."

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  Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

Secretary Kennedy has criticized the use of chlormequat chloride, which he deemed "one of those 'forever chemicals,'" on grains.

He noted in July 2023, "This chemical was prohibited by the very same EPA in 1962 for use on anything but ornamental plants in greenhouses. That was before the agency was captured by industry."

Kennedy added, "Chlormaquat is linked to disruption of fetal growth, metabolic alterations, lower sperm motility, deceased testosterone, delayed development in puberty, and other effects. At a time when chronic disease is at an all-time high, do we really need more chemicals in our food?"

Blaze News reached out to HHS about the removal of artificial dyes as well as about chlormequat in the food supply but did not immediately receive a response.

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