(The Center Square) – Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joined West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey Friday in support of legislation the governor signed this week banning seven food dyes from school lunches at the start of this school year.
Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins also praised the move.
“Governor Morrisey is a visionary, and willing to cut through the DC noise to help families move toward healthier behaviors and healthier outcomes,” Rollins said.
The Mountain State’s ban begins August 1 and applies to Red Dye No. 3, Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, Yellow Dye No. 6, Blue Dye No. 1, Blue Dye No. 2 and Green Dye No. 3.
California and Virginia have passed comparable bills, but neither are as far-reaching as West Virginia’s. California’s legislation, signed into law by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in September, won’t go into effect until the last day of 2027 and only prohibits six of the seven dyes banned from school lunches in West Virginia; Virginia’s bans all seven and takes effect in July.
In August, the seven dyes will be banned from school lunches. But in Jan 2028, the dyes plus two preservatives — butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and propylparaben — will be banned from all food sold in the state.
Morrisey also said he plans to request a waiver excluding soda from products that can be bought using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program dollars.
“West Virginia is leading the nation in passing a bill to clean up our food supply and submitting a waiver to remove soda from SNAP,” Kennedy said. “This state leadership adds leverage to the Trump administration’s drive to Make America Healthy Again. I urge every Governor to follow West Virginia’s lead.”
Dozens of other states have introduced or are considering similar “MAHA” legislation to “clean up our food system, improve school lunches, submit waivers to SNAP and promote patient choice,” according to Kennedy.
West Virginia is a state that has “long faced some of the nation’s most pressing public health challenges,” according to an HHS press release. It’s among the worst states for obesity, diabetes, heart disease and drug overdoses. But according to Morrisey, it’s embracing the direction provided by Kennedy and HHS, under his leadership.
“West Virginia is strongly embracing the Make America Healthy Again movement,” said West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey. “We’re getting junk out of our foods, promoting exercise, and putting nutrition back into SNAP. Thank you to Secretary Kennedy and Secretary Rollins for their commitment to ensuring the next generation of Americans lives a healthier and happier life.”
Health and Human Services announced a major restructuring Thursday, shrinking its workforce from roughly 82,000 to 62,000, consolidating 28 divisions into 15 (including the new Administration for a Healthy America) and reducing its regional offices from 10 to five.
