Law & Policy Active Updated Jul 13, 2026
The hospital plant-protein pledge
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS administrator Mehmet Oz launched a pledge asking US hospitals to cut ultra-processed and processed meat and prioritize minimally processed proteins, naming plant options, citing a NYC public hospital program that cut food emissions 36% with 90% patient satisfaction. Whether hospitals actually sign on and change menus will decide if the pledge moves institutional food beyond a press release.
The story so far
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Jul 13, 2026 Latest
HHS and CMS launched a hospital pledge asking providers to cut ultra-processed and processed meat and prioritize minimally processed proteins, pointing to a NYC public hospital plant-default program that cut food emissions 36%, hit 90% patient satisfaction, and cost 59 cents less per meal than the meat-based option.
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