HHS Secretary Kennedy says the food industry is poisoning us. The White House shares AI videos of him body slamming a Twinkie. And somehow, the trade group representing the companies making those ultra-processed foods — and thousands of other products Americans buy every day — has to figure out how to respond.

The Consumer Brands Association represents the CPG industry, not just food and beverage, but household products and personal care too. It's the largest manufacturing sector in the U.S. by employment — 22.3 million workers, contributing $2.3 trillion to the GDP. And right now, it's contending with one of the most hostile political environments it's ever faced.

Melissa Hockstad, the president and CEO of CBA, is at the center of navigating all of this. She's talking about constructive engagement, transparency, and the long game as major food companies try to stay out of the political wrestling ring, at least publicly.

Highlights:

– How CBA is approaching the Trump administration's anti-Big Food rhetoric, and where they see room for common ground

– The Facts Up Front and SmartLabel programs, and why the industry sees transparency on its own terms as a selling point

–How MAHA laws in Texas, West Virginia, and beyond have the industry turning to the courts and to Congress

– Why CBA thinks "ultra-processed foods" is too complex to define, and what that means for policy

– Front-of-pack labeling: where the Biden-era proposed rule stands now and what to expect from FDA under the Trump administration

– The affordability argument is not landing the way the industry hoped at the state level

Where to find Melissa Hockstad:

Follow Melissa Hockstad on LinkedIn

Mentioned in this episode:

Consumer Brands Association

Facts Up Front

SmartLabel

Stay in touch:

Follow American Dish on Instagram and YouTube.

Send ideas and feedback to info@foodfix.co

Check out Forked, the food politics podcast Helena co-hosts with the Food & Environment Reporting Network.

Credits: This episode was edited by Adrienne Cruz. Original music by David Bottemiller.