Society for Behavioral Medicine Policy Brief

The Society for Behavioral Medicine has released its position on the 2023 Farm Bill for Human and Planetary Health, calling for greater investment into improving the diets of the U.S. public to support both human and planetary health going forward. The SBM supports Food is Medicine (FIM) interventions, using nutrition — specifically diets high in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables as opposed to the Standard American diet — as a means to prevent, manage, and treat chronic diseases prevalent in the United States. FIM interventions can take place through both a variety of programs, including nutrition prescription programs and medically tailored grocery plans.

As the current Farm Bill, which governs a wide variety of agricultural programs, expires in September 2023, the SBM has issued its recommendations for its new iteration. In a recent brief, the SBM called for an increase in produce prescription programs, the alignment of federally and state funded FIM initiatives, and financial incentives for the implementation of sustainable agriculture practices. 

For more, read the SBM's full position statement here. 

Read SBM's Dr. Katie Alegria's recent AME profile here.