Press ReleaseApril 29, 2026
Small Businesses Support National ‘MAHA’ Standard Over Patchwork of State Regulations
Washington, D.C. (April 29, 2026)—Today, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is holding a hearing titled “Healthier America: Legislative Proposals on the Regulation and Oversight of Food.” One proposal from Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) being considered seeks to institute a uniform national standard for food labeling as opposed to a costly patchwork of state regulations—a web of government red tape that would harm small businesses.
In March, the Job Creators Network (JCN) released a report that found updating food labels to comply with 50 state-specific mandates would be 26-times more costly than adhering to one “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) standard. Read the full report here, which was prepared by Carnegie Mellon Adjunct Professor Dr. Lloyd Corder.
“State-specific food labeling regulations—as opposed to a clear, consistent nationwide framework—are well-intentioned but will have an outsized negative impact on small businesses,” said Alfredo Ortiz, CEO of JCN. “Small businesses operate on razor thin budget margins and often don’t have the extra resources to comply with costly government mandates. It means fewer jobs, less economic opportunity, and anemic growth.”
