State-by-state food ingredient laws are creating a costly regulatory patchwork that could raise grocery prices, reduce consumer choice, and complicate interstate commerce. The FRESH Act of 2026 would establish a uniform federal framework for ingredient oversight while preempting conflicting state rules. That’s a meaningful step toward reducing compliance burdens and protecting consumers from higher costs caused by 50 different food-rule regimes. At the same time, the bill should avoid replacing state overreach with unnecessary federal bottlenecks. Oversight should focus on evidence, transparency, and real risk—not politics or paperwork for its own sake. A smarter national standard can protect both food safety and affordability. Read more by @JustinLeventhal here: theamericanconsumer.org/2026/05/the-fr…
