CA Gov. Gavin Newsom presenting 2024-25 budget. (Photo: gov.ca.gov)
Gov. Gavin Newsom Signs New Executive Order Going After ‘Ultra-Processed Foods’, Food Dyes
‘Newsom has quite the history of trying to show up the Trump administration’
By Evan Symon, January 4, 2025 9:22 am
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new executive order on Friday aimed at directing state agencies to recommend potential actions to limit the potential harms associated with “ultra-processed foods” and food ingredients that could pose a health risk to individuals.
For the past several years, California has significantly cracked down on different food ingredients and dyes because of alleged health risks. Most notably, this has included AB 418, a 2024 bill turned law authored by Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills) that banned five common food additives in California. However, other actions have included a new law prohibiting California schools from selling foods containing synthetic food dye additives that have been linked to health harms, actions by Newsom to keep the sale ban of sodas in K-12 schools, restricting the amount of sugar in milk, and restricting anything caffeinated to be sold at schools before high school.
This all led to Friday, when Newsom signed an executive order that continued to build on previous food, health, and school lunch laws of the past. According to the order, specific state entities will have to do the following:
- Provide recommendations to the Governor’s Office regarding potential action to limit the harms associated with “ultra-processed foods” and food ingredients that pose a health risk to individuals.
- Continue investigating the adverse health impacts of synthetic food dyes.
- Recommend actions to reduce the purchase of soda, candy, other ultra-processed foods and/or foods with synthetic food dye or other additives.
- Investigate the feasibility of requiring Medi-Cal Managed Care plans and California hospitals to use their Community Investment dollars and Community Benefit funds to enhance access to fresh, healthy foods, mitigate the impacts of “food deserts,” and otherwise promote public health at the local level.
- Identify areas where California may adopt higher standards for healthy school meals than national standards.
- Explore developing new standards and partnerships to further protect and expand universal school food programs.
“The food we eat shouldn’t make us sick with disease or lead to lifelong consequences,” said Newsom in a statement on Friday. “California has been a leader for years in creating healthy and delicious school meals, and removing harmful ingredients and chemicals from food. We’re going to work with the industry, consumers and experts to crack down on ultra-processed foods, and create a healthier future for every Californian.”
Newsom’s new Executive Order
His wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, added, “Through today’s executive order, we’re making a decisive and transformative commitment to further California’s work to prioritize health and nutrition as fundamental building blocks for thriving communities. By connecting the dots between whole food, mental wellness, and strong cognition, we are creating an environment where every child has the opportunity to realize their full potential. This is a powerful move towards health, equity, and a California for ALL Kids.”
Newsom’s Order comes only weeks before Donald Trump’s inauguration. His pick for Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert Kennedy Jr., announced that he would be pursuing similar food additive bans and limits to ultra-processed food sold in schools. If confirmed, Kennedy would likely put into place Make America Healthier Again (MAHA) initiatives, including the above bans and limits. Newsom’s executive order on Friday beat his initiatives to the punch, putting a damper on new federal health laws this year.
“This is a weird one because Newsom, and California, obviously have a history of making these sorts of laws,” explained Health law advisor Karl Chaffee to the Globe on Friday. “Newsom’s statement made it pretty obvious. But at the same time, this comes out just as RFK Jr. is about to put his huge health plans into place. Newsom has quite the history of trying to show up the Trump administration, and because of the similarities, it almost looks obvious that he did that.
“What likely happened was a twofer. Newsom had likely been planning an executive order like this for a while anyway. But passing it now before Trump and RFK Jr. are in, coming out before MAHA becomes law. That isn’t coincidence. It’s a twofer. He got what he wanted in the order, but also put his laws into place first. Some news agencies are probably now going to compare what RFK Jr. wants done to what California earlier did, which is not something anyone in the Trump administration wants.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if they put their own spin to what Newsom did later in the year and suddenly make it look like California is behind the times again.”
More on Newsom’s executive order is to come out soon.
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Falls short of causing something to happen that is good.
LOL
“Once a jerk, always a jerk” doesn’t apply to everyone, but it certainly applies to Gavin Newsom.
The day we finally see the backside of him, moving away from us forever, whether clothed in an orange jumpsuit or his fleece-jacketed uniform, will be a happy, happy day. Can’t wait.
Agree on the Orange Jump suit comment.
The guy looks like the Joker. it’s all about him not the people of Cali.
Can’t wait for this clown/Joker to be gone!
move to another state if you hate
It is doubtful that either one of the Newscums (Hairgel and his First Partner) has ever had an original idea emanate from their narcissistic pedestrian brains. They can only copy and take credit for implementing policies of others more competent, and claim them as their own.
Exactly right, Raymond.
This particular bit of puffed-up pretentious-do-gooding and immature nastiness from the Newsoms reminds me of a third-grader’s version of “stealing someone’s thunder.”
If Noisome cared about the health of Californians he would outlaw the poisonous Covid jabs. This is all about taxes. This is a dog whistle to every tin pot bureaucrat in this state to recommend endless taxes on darn near everything.
If something is poisonous then outlaw it!
What business does his wife have in the matter? “…His wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, added…”
And if this is so important, why not have it go through the legislature? Why the executive “I am King” order?
Warning: Extreme Sarcasm Alert
Oh, but Jimmy, Jennifer Siebel Newsom is the FIRST PARTNER! Not just a mere, dismissable, invisible, destructive politician’s WIFE. She wants her own slot and title for destruction. And the record shows that she HAS BEEN destructive, in our own right, as FIRST PARTNER, with her very own budget and staff and projects through her non-profit, to which you can donate. That’s right, if you have the cash —- enough cash, that is — you can donate to the FIRST PARTNER’S non-profit if you are seeking a special favor from Gavin. He doesn’t call these donations “bribes,” he calls them “behested payments,” and has legalized them.
It’s tragic what a joke these people are.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom: D-list actress and wannabe documentary filmmaker.
More stupidity from Newsom.
why?
We need to Newsom proof California before it’s to late.
even if he is trying to do something before Trump/Kennedy do it nationally, he has finally done something good for the citizens of California.
Do you think even for a moment that Noisome has good intentions? He will tax everything you eat and drink and say it is for your own good. Fast food will be his number one target. The Big Food industries that crank out Cheetos and Froot Loops will likely be exempt (if they buy “indulgences”) from his partner or other political cronies.
This reminds me of the toothless, phony “law-and-order” legislation Newsom rolled out to try to fool voters into not voting for the real deal Prop 36, which he inexplicably came out against and battled until it passed with a solid majority of Californians in last year’s election. This is who Newsom is, and he never “means well” and is always “up to something,” with dark ulterior motives coming out of his nose and ears and every pore, and this completely undemocratic “executive order” will be no exception. CW is right on target with what he thinks will happen and what’s more, Newsom probably hopes more farms will go bankrupt and every single food item will become even more unaffordable than it is already. In other words it will have a negative outcome. One that Newsom wants. Count on it. We know him.
I hear his next Executive Order is to ban joy. If you smile in the state of California you will be fined a dollar a smile. Many citizens will not be in jeopardy of being fined as many left living in this state do not have much to smile about!
He and his first partner (Harvey Wienstein’s couch squeeze) do it all for the good of the people!
Face it they know better than the rest of us. How are we to know to ingest to be healthy?
Coke and Dorito’s are the breakfast of Champions, so I was told🤪
Newsom is the devil in disguise. he has been the biggest disaster in the history of California. because of him we have joined the thousands of born and raised Californians that have fled the State. Because the demise has been incremental and yet cumulative, if you are still in California you don’t yet realize just how bad it has become under Newsolini. Trust me when I say getting out was the best thing ever…only regret is not doing it sooner.
You don’t have any ting credible to say to back to our opinion you’re just spewing hate for no reason
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection
Regulating toilet and our usage of same has to be on Newsom’s agenda.
We all know that this is just a toothless phony dictate so Gavin “Hair-gel Hitler” Newsom and his cheap Weinstein trollop wife can brag that they tried to do something before RFK Jr. implemented his MAHA program.
Kinda looks like the gov’s office sent out the flying monkeys to sporadically troll this article?