“The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a proposed guidance , advising consumers not to use non-sugar sweeteners as means to reduce sugar intake.
While the guidance is still under consideration and the WHO is now collecting comments from stakeholders, the document has already caused a stir in the food and beverage industry, pitting proponents of sweeteners against their critics.”
Courtney Gaine, PhD, RD, President and CEO of the Sugar Association, was quoted in the article, ““[W}hile added sugars consumption has declined by 30% since 2000, the number of products that contain at least one non-nutritive sweetener has increased by 300% in the last five years alone.”
Still, the Sugar Association has raised concerns similar to those in the WHO report about the increased prominence and consumption of non-sugar sweeteners. The industry group has been pushing for changes in FDA labeling for sweeteners , which the Sugar Association says is “archaic, outdated, and keeps consumers in the dark about these ingredients.”
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March 22, 2026
"The Feeding the Economy report affirms the vital role food and agriculture play in our nation’s economic resilience and food security. Commercial bakers have long been proud partners to American agriculture, sourcing 85 percent of their core ingredients from domestic farmers....Sponsoring organizations from the food and agriculture industries, who helped make the 2026 study possible, provided commentary on this year’s findings. The full list of sponsoring organizations includes: ...The Sugar Association"
March 10, 2026
"Courtney Gaine, president and CEO of the Sugar Association, a scientific body that supports the U.S. sugar industry, told the USDA Outlook Forum that the school meal standards taking effect next year might prohibit added sugars in kindergarten meals and could significantly restrict them in other grades. That change alone would cut sugar demand by over 130,000 short tons. The industry faces additional pressure from rising GLP-1 weight-loss drug usage, which jumped from 12% in May 2024 to 18% in November 2025, though Gaine cautioned it remains "premature to assess the impact."
March 3, 2026
"Gaine added, "There is no data to support all this." She said the focus on added sugar is often politically motivated, but food groups have not pushed back on the MAHA pressure. There is a lot of fear of retaliation, and for good reason they have not wanted to push back publicly," Gaine said. "I think it’s going to demand a coordinated, really coordinated, pushing back. Any effort up (until) now has been to go along to get along, and I don’t know if that’s going to work."
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