Providing technical assistance and legal and scientific evidence to advance policies for healthier food environments.
As federal, state, and local governments consider policies to address the harms of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), the Global Food Research Program at UNC-Chapel Hill (GFRP) and Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic today announced the launch of the Food Policy Accelerator, a new initiative in collaboration with Fed UP! that will provide policymakers and advocates with scientific research, food supply data, and technical, legal, and scientific expertise to help translate the latest science on ultra-processed food into meaningful policy action.
Bringing together leading experts in nutrition science, public health, and law, the Accelerator aims to empower advocates and policymakers seeking to advance legislative, regulatory, and legal changes to build a healthier food system for everyone. From strengthening school nutrition standards and improving food labeling and transparency to evaluating proposed legislation and expanding access to minimally processed foods, the initiative will help turn independent research into practical, evidence-based policy solutions.
“For years, scientists have been building the evidence around how ultra-processed food harms our health,” said Lindsey Smith Taillie, GFRP co-director, professor of nutrition at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, and scientific contributor to Fed UP!. “The Food Policy Accelerator will help bridge the gap between research and action, giving policymakers and advocates access to the scientific data and expertise they need to develop stronger policies, improve access to healthier foods, and hold food companies accountable. Families deserve a food system that supports their health, and we’re helping give communities the science-based tools to build one.”
The Accelerator’s launch comes ahead of the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting in San Antonio on November 3, where Taillie and other leading experts will discuss the initiative’s role in turning the latest science on ultra-processed food into meaningful policy action. Across three Fed UP! panels at the meeting, speakers will also explore how food access and affordability and commercial influence shape our food system, and share practical strategies for building healthier food environments. All three panels will be livestreamed on Fed UP!’s YouTube channel.
Turning Independent Science Into Practical Policy Solutions
The Accelerator launches at a pivotal moment for food policy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) have taken steps toward establishing the nation’s first federal definition of ultra-processed food, a milestone that could provide researchers, policymakers, schools, and healthcare providers a common framework for understanding these products and their health effects.
While a new UPF definition would represent a major step forward, it would not, itself, regulate products. Policymakers also need reliable, up-to-date information about the food supply, access to independent scientific expertise, and technical guidance to develop and implement legally feasible policies that would help reduce ultra-processed food consumption, expand access to healthier options, and improve people’s health.
The Food Policy Accelerator aims to meet that need by providing targeted, non-partisan assistance to government agencies, legislative offices, nonprofit organizations, advocates, and coalitions. Through its partnership between the Global Food Research Program and Harvard, the initiative will combine nutrition research with legal and policy analysis to help decision-makers understand how proposed regulations could work in practice — and what impact they could have on the communities they serve, helping ensure the policies that shape what communities eat are guided by science.
The Accelerator’s work will include:
- Food supply analysis and nutrition profiling: Helping policymakers understand which products would be affected by proposed regulations, establish appropriate nutritional standards, and evaluate how policies could influence the availability, affordability, and purchases of ultra-processed foods.
- Policy development and technical assistance: Providing research, scientific guidance, and feedback on proposed legislation addressing topics like food labeling, marketing restrictions, school nutrition standards, and public food procurement.
- Legal research and support: Helping state and local governments navigate legal questions surrounding food regulations and public health policies.
- Practical tools for policymakers and advocates: Developing fact sheets, issue briefs, expert testimony, public comments, and more to help translate scientific research into policies communities can put into practice.
For example, a state considering stronger front-of-package labeling requirements could seek assistance evaluating which products would be covered, determining appropriate nutritional criteria, and assessing potential legal considerations. A city or school district seeking to improve food served in schools or public institutions could use food supply research to better understand how proposed procurement standards might affect available products and access to healthier options. The federal government could also work with the Accelerator to support implementation of a federal UPF definition, FDA chemical safety rules, improved national school meal guidelines, and more.
Building a Stronger Foundation for Policy Action
Beyond responding to immediate policy needs and technical assistance requests, the Accelerator will support longer-term research and the development of tools that can be adapted across jurisdictions. This includes examining how proposed policies could affect different populations, identifying gaps in existing research, and developing scientific and legal resources that can help federal, state, and local policymakers pursue similar approaches.
The initiative will also work alongside Fed UP!’s scientific contributors and regulatory experts to identify emerging policy priorities and ensure that independent research is available to inform decisions as new opportunities arise.
“Federal policymakers, as well as state and local leaders are exploring new ways to protect public health through food policy, but developing effective regulations requires navigating complex legal and scientific questions,” said Emily Broad Leib, director of Harvard Law School Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation and scientific contributor to Fed UP!. “By bringing together technical legal and nutrition science expertise, the Food Policy Accelerator can help policymakers and advocates understand their options, anticipate potential challenges, and develop policies that are both sound and grounded in the best available evidence.”
The launch comes on the heels of Fed UP!’s public launch in June and the publication of the American Journal of Public Health’s landmark July Special Collection on ultra-processed food, which brought together leading independent researchers examining the links between higher consumption of ultra-processed food and chronic diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive decline. Their research also documented how product engineering, corporate influence, and decades of aggressive marketing have reshaped today’s food environment. At the same time, new nationally representative polling published in the collection found broad bipartisan support for stronger food policies, including warning labels and restrictions on marketing ultra-processed foods to children.
The Food Policy Accelerator represents a critical next step in turning that scientific and public momentum into action and helping lay the groundwork for stronger food policies, greater industry transparency and accountability, and a food system that makes healthier choices more accessible and affordable for everyone.
a collaboration between:
