Lobbying against formula for babies

Here’s one small example of what lobbyists can accomplish in Washington.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides formula and food to low-income mothers of small children. Unlike food stamps, WIC is not an entitement. Congress grants WIC a finite amount of money. When that money runs out, the cupboard is bare.

Formula makers are increasingly adding “functional ingredients” – omega-3s, antioxidants, probiotics – to their products. This allows them to charge more. For WIC, that increased cost means formula will cost almost $100 million more.

The budget for WIC is already inadequate. In the past, there’s only been enough money for about half the number of eligible mothers and children. If the cost of infant formula increases, that budget will buy even less, which means even fewer mothers can participate.

A reasonable question: Are these “functional” ingredients of any benefit to children? Marion Nestle, a highly respected nutrition expert, writes: “the science is highly conflicted and most studies show little evidence of demonstrable benefit.”

Senate votes to ignore the question of benefit

Just before adjourning in August, the Senate passed the Childhood Nutrition Reauthorization Act, which expires at the end of this month. Before passing it, however, they removed a provision that would have required the USDA to determine the value of functional ingredients. Why? Successful lobbying.

Laurie True, director of California’s WIC program, writes:

You might think that companies confident in their products’ value would welcome the chance for a federal stamp of approval, not fight it. But the Big Three formula manufacturers—Nestle, Mead Johnson, and Abbot Laboratories – did just that. … The PAC of Abbott Laboratories, a global pharmaceutical company, alone gave more than $1.5 million in federal campaign contributions in the 2008 election cycle and the PAC has made approximately $1 million in expenditures this cycle. …

Without a show of courage from the House leadership, the story of WIC and functional ingredients could turn out to be yet another well-known Washington narrative — powerful, wealthy corporations fighting straightforward, evidence-based policymaking. Marketing hype and confusing labels in today’s supermarket aisles can befuddle even the savviest shoppers. The opportunity to protect WIC’s integrity is in the hands of Congress. Let’s hope the big bucks-lobbying push on this modest proposal doesn’t fool Members [of the House].

It would be a full time job to contact members of Congress every time special interests threaten the common good. But there’s a bipartisan bill coming up in the House next week that tackles the problem of undue influence by special interests. It’s called the Fair Elections Now Act. I discuss it in the next post.

Resources:

Image source: The Telegraph

Laurie True, Attention child nutrition shoppers no-brainer for WIC in CNA, The Hill, September 14, 2010

Marion Nestle, Baby Food Politics: The Formula Lobby’s Latest Attack, The Atlantic, September 17, 2010