Improving agricultural production as a public health strategy in the United States: a framework for integrated policy

Agri-food management in the U.S.—including crop and livestock practices—directly influences health outcomes through drinking water quality, air pollution, pesticide exposure, and pathogen transmission. The broader food system also shapes nutrition and dietary health. Certain management practices can mitigate environmental and human health impacts by reducing input use or preventing input losses to the environment. Despite these interconnections, policies and incentives remain fragmented across food, health, and environmental sectors. In this policy and practice review, we propose three strategies to scale conservation agriculture practices that benefit human health: (1) interagency collaboration to expand agricultural incentives that advance environmental and public health, (2) public procurement reforms that reward sustainable production, and (3) enhanced traceability linking farm practices to health and environmental outcomes. Cross- and multi-sector policy alignment can accelerate adoption of practices that improve health outcomes, strengthen environmental performance, and support agricultural sustainability.