Sustainable Food Policy Alliance and CSPI joint statement on appropriations riders to delay federal sodium reduction efforts

A pair of riders included in the House-passed appropriations package will delay federal efforts to reduce sodium in foods to the detriment of public health. The Sustainable Food Policy Alliance, alongside the Center for Science in the Public Interest, has long opposed legislative attempts that compromise nutrition policies rooted in science. These latest policy riders represent a regression in our collective endeavor to enhance the American diet.

The first rider limits the Food and Drug Administration’s ability to advance long-term voluntary sodium reduction targets for industry until the agency has conducted an assessment of the impact of the short-term targets, which were released in October 2021 and included a voluntary compliance date of April 2024.

The second rider limits the US Department of Agriculture’s ability to tighten sodium standards in the school lunch and breakfast program in its upcoming update to school meal standards. This would freeze current sodium levels through the 2026-27 school year and prevent further science-based reductions in sodium.

It is imperative for Congress to facilitate, not halt, the advancement of sodium reduction measures that are essential for the betterment of public health.