Despite the looming food policy issues being debated in states across America, the candidates for the 2016 presidential primary races have focused predominantly on traditional policy issues such as abortion, foreign policy, government spending, employment, gay rights, and poverty. At the 2016 National Food Policy Conference (April 6–7, 2016), organized by the Consumer Federation of America, a panel of political insiders provided insight into the food policy inclinations of Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders, and Donald Trump. Robert Carpenter of Chesapeake Beach Consulting said that food policy and food safety are not in the hearts and minds of most of the American public, which is why food policy issues have not been at the forefront of the campaign season. Perhaps the one thing candidates have mentioned is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Carpenter said that because SNAP accounts for nearly 80% of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s budget, Republican candidates think funding for domestic nutrition programs should be reduced.
Agricultural journalist Jerry Hagstrom of The Hagstrom Report said that he is surprised that none of the candidates is discussing the labeling of genetically modified foods on the campaign trail. However, Hagstrom concluded that because Bernie Sanders is a U.S. senator from Vermont (the first state to pass a no-strings-attached GMO labeling mandate), he supports labeling laws for foods made with GMOs and is an advocate for sourcing foods locally. Carpenter pointed out that Ted Cruz believes that genetically engineered foods represent innovation in science and as such should be celebrated. Cruz thus supports pushback against the hysteria over food made with GMOs.
None of the panelists seemed to know much about Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s food policy leanings. Celinda Lake of Lake Research Partners said that candidates who ignore food policy issues are making a mistake as women voters will be integral in deciding who the next U.S. president is, and food issues are important to women voters.
