States findings of the Legislature and urges federal lawmakers to prohibit inclusion of artificial sweeteners in school meal programs.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 10 BY AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE A JOINT MEMORIAL1 TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESEN-2 TATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, THE CONGRESSIONAL3 DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE STATE OF IDAHO IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED4 STATES, THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,5 AND THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN6 SERVICES.7 We, your Memorialists, the House of Representatives and the Sen-8 ate of the State of Idaho assembled in the Second Regular Session of the9 Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that:10 WHEREAS, the health and well-being of Idaho's children is a matter of11 the highest priority for the State of Idaho; and12 WHEREAS, the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast13 Program serve millions of meals daily to American schoolchildren, including14 thousands of Idaho students; and15 WHEREAS, six artificial sweeteners are currently approved by the United16 State Food and Drug Administration for use in food and beverages, which are17 aspartame, acesulfame potassium, advantame, neotame, saccharin, and su-18 cralose; and19 WHEREAS, sufficient long-term research does not exist regarding the im-20 pacts of artificial sweeteners on children's development, metabolism, and21 dietary habits, warranting a precautionary approach to the use of artificial22 sweeteners in school nutrition programs; and23 WHEREAS, Idaho ranks second in the nation for the production of sugar24 beets and is home to Amalgamated Sugar Company, the second-largest sugar25 beet processor in the United States; and26 WHEREAS, the sugar beet industry contributes more than one billion dol-27 lars annually to Idaho's economy and supports thousands of jobs across rural28 communities, serving as a cornerstone of the state's agricultural sector;29 and30 WHEREAS, real sugar produced from Idaho sugar beets is a natural, mini-31 mally processed ingredient that provides a safe, stable, and locally sourced32 sweetener for food manufacturers and consumers alike; and33 WHEREAS, supporting the use of real sugar in school nutrition programs34 aligns with Idaho's values of agricultural sustainability, economic self-35 reliance, and transparency in food labeling; and36 WHEREAS, it is in the public interest for the federal government to en-37 sure that the meals served to children in public schools are free from arti-38 ficial sweeteners and based on wholesome, natural ingredients.39 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses-40 sion of the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and41 the Senate concurring therein, that the Legislature respectfully urges the42 President of the United States, members of the United States Congress, the43

2 Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, and the Secretary1 of the United States Department of Health and Human Services to prohibit2 the inclusion of artificial sweeteners, specifically aspartame, acesulfame3 potassium, advantame, neotame, saccharin, and sucralose, in all school meal4 programs administered under federal law.5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Idaho Legislature supports the use6 of real sugar as a natural and locally produced alternative to artificial7 sweeteners in school meal programs.8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the House of Represen-9 tatives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of10 this Memorial to the President of the United States, the President of the11 Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, the con-12 gressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the13 United States, the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture,14 and the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Ser-15 vices.16