New Office of the National Director of Food and Nutrition (ONDFN) |
President-appointed, Senate-confirmed Director, serving as the Principal Nutrition Advisor to the White House, heads of executive branch departments and agencies, senior military, and Congress
Modeled after the Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Coordinate and harmonize the work of the ≥10 US departments and agencies that comprise the federal nutrition community
Ensure that timely and objective national nutrition information is provided to key federal leaders
|
Tested, effective model
Dedicated leadership, staff, and funding
Builds on the ICHNR, with much stronger coordination and synergies across departments and agencies and a stronger dissemination platform
Can be mobilized to advise on urgent situations (e.g., COVID-19) which require pre-existing robust leadership and coordination across departments and agencies
|
|
Congressional authorization and appropriation
Presidential appointment of the Director, with Senate confirmation
|
New US Global Nutrition Research Program (USGNRP) |
Charged with improving coordination and integration of federal research on food and nutrition and the implications for the nation
Modeled after the US Global Change Research Program
Overseen by the Executive Office of the President and facilitated by a National Coordination Office
Funded by a small portion of relevant research budgets from the participating departments and agencies
|
Tested, effective model
Dedicated structure, staff, and budget
Builds on the ICHNR
Renewed and clear mandate for coordination, with explicit requirements for strategic planning, rigorous assessments, and annual reporting
|
Budget dependent on size and commitment of participating departments and agencies to its research area
Staffing dependent on detailed personnel from participating departments and agencies, reducing continuity
|
Presidential Initiative (with or without subsequent Congressional codification)
Congressional authorization, ideally associated with Congressional appropriations
|
New Associate Director for Nutrition Science in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) |
Non–cabinet-level position, President-appointed and Senate-confirmed
Serves as the President's advisor on issues related to nutrition research
Modeled after other Associate Director positions and initiatives
Provides high-level leadership and harmonization to leverage and translate federal and nonfederal nutrition research efforts
Identify and help develop more coordinated and innovative nutrition research initiatives
|
Brings a key leader to the White House for improved coordination, communication, and strategic planning
Elevates work and impact of individual federal departments and agencies and the ICHNR
Can hire advisors, special assistants, and fellows to deepen expertise and impact
Creates collaborations with private sector, state and local governments, academic communities, other countries
|
OSTP positions can vary greatly from one administration to the next, greatly limiting long-term continuity and success
OSTP initiatives may not align with focus or levels of research funding
Staffing often small, transient, and reliant on temporary staff
Success highly dependent on the skills and interests of the hired person
|
|
New US Task Force on Federal Nutrition Research |
Charged with improving coordination and integration of federal nutrition research
Modeled after the successful US Task Force for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
Co-chaired by the Secretaries of HHS, USDA, DoD, and possibly VA, with additional broad membership from other departments and agencies
Complementary Presidential Advisory Council
Would develop a 5-y National Action Plan with required annual reporting to the President on progress
|
Tested, successful model
Executive Order would elevate federal prioritization of nutrition research
Cabinet-level leadership
Concrete National Action Plan with required annual reports
Advisory Council to leverage external expertise
Strengthen coordination, communication, and budgetary priorities toward the highest-impact shared agenda
|
Presidential Executive Order often does not bring or align with dedicated funding
More transient in nature, with defined scope and time period
|
Presidential Executive Order
Presidential directive to revise the ICHNR structure
Congressional inquiry on the above actions
Legislation to revise the ICHNR charge, structure, and funding
|