MIAMI—MARCH 30, 2026—Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., in the latest leg of his national Take Back Your Health tour, celebrated the hospital’s new commitments to strengthen nutrition-driven patient care by connecting Florida gardens directly to the hospital’s food system.
Secretary Kennedy also announced that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Special Quality and Safety Alert directing hospitals to meet patient nutrition standards by aligning foods with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and reducing ultra-processed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined carbohydrates, and added sugars.
The America First Policy Institute hosted an event at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, where Secretary Kennedy joined CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, for a leadership roundtable with executives and healthcare providers. Discussions focused on pediatric care, chronic disease prevention, and the role of nutrition in improving health outcomes, followed by a press conference.
“Thank you to Nicklaus Children’s Health System President & CEO Matthew Love and his incredible team for your hospitality, your leadership, and your commitment to putting real food on patients’ plates,” said Secretary Kennedy. “Quality health care starts with quality food. The actions announced today will help improve patient outcomes, prevent chronic disease, and Make America Healthy Again.”
At the roundtable, Secretary Kennedy and Administrator Oz announced the CMS Special Alert, strengthening hospitals’ legal obligation to deliver high-quality nutrition care. The guidelines direct hospitals to align food services with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods and adequate protein while limiting ultra-processed foods and added sugars.
The memorandum also strengthens the existing Medicare Participation Requirements, which require hospitals to:
- Meet the nutritional needs of individual patients
- Maintain dietary supervision
- Keep the current therapeutic diet manual
- Integrate nutrition into quality and performance improvement programs
CMS further urged hospitals to update their menus, procurement practices, and nutrition protocols to reflect current federal dietary guidelines.
“Food should not be a consideration in health,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Oz. “When hospitals align what’s on the tray with what’s on the chart, we give patients a better chance to recover faster, avoid complications, and have healthier long-term outcomes. By connecting hospitals directly with local farmers, we’re not just improving food; we’re rebuilding a model of care that treats nutrition as essential medicine.”
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital signed the first pledge to formalize its commitment to advancing nutrition through direct partnerships with Florida farmers – bringing fresh, locally sourced food from the fields to patients’ food trays.
Developed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, the partnership creates a path for hospitals to source more food from Florida producers, strengthen nutrition strategies for patients, and remove longstanding and contracted barriers that have historically limited farm-to-hospital sourcing.
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital was the first institution to sign the pledge, setting a model for hospitals nationwide.
The initiative supports:
- Expanded farm-to-hospital procurement and streamlined sourcing lines for local producers.
- Workforce and training programs are connected to nutrition services and food preparation.
- Medically appropriate meal strategies are designed for specific patient populations.
- Partnerships that help hospitals improve food quality and nutrient density throughout the menu.
“Anytime we can encourage connecting Florida farmers and customers is a triple win. We get healthy food to consumers, we support our local economy, and we strengthen our national security through domestic supply,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “The Florida Department of Agriculture has a successful program for food banks, and we are ready to expand the Farmers Feeding Florida program to our hospitals and patients. We are grateful for the leadership of President Trump and his administration for this effort.”
During the visit, Secretary Kennedy met with pediatric patients and families at our hospital Panda Cares Center of Hope, underscoring the role of nutrition in compassionate, patient-centered care.
“On behalf of Nicklaus Children, we thank the US Department of Health and Human Services for their commitment to the health and wellness of the family. We know that the foundation of lifelong health begins with nutrition, which is why Nicklaus Children is proud to be the first health organization in Florida to sign the Food is Health: Take Back Your Health promise,” said Matthew A. Cinta, President and CEO of Nicklaus Children’s Health System. “Our food and nutrition business has led the way for many years, and we remain committed as part of this national program to continue to elevate nutrition as a critical component of care. By working with Florida’s agricultural community, we improve the quality and freshness of the food we serve to our patients, strengthening our country’s economy by protecting local business, and reinforcing our commitment to serve children and families for a healthier future.”
Secretary Kennedy’s visit to Miami is part of the Take Back Your Health tour, which brings together health care leaders, farmers, educators, and policymakers to promote President Trump’s directive to Make America Healthy Again.
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