During a recent livestream, Environmental Working Group (EWG) President Ken Cook was quoted as saying “Americans need to eat healthier foods” during his comments about chronic illness prevention. And we agree.

However, a question immediately came to mind:  What is EWG doing about that? What, if anything, is this organization doing to promote healthier eating?

As government agencies, non-profits, food and health care companies continue efforts to increase consumption of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables through assistance programs, produce prescriptions and educational outreach, where are groups like EWG that profess to care about public health?

Instead EWG invests its time discouraging consumption of the very foods we should be eating more of with releases like the so-called “Dirty Dozen” list, which disparages the more affordable and accessible fruits and vegetables with unfounded and inaccurate messages about produce safety.  How does that promote healthy eating?

If you truly want to prevent chronic illness, you would join efforts to encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins and antioxidants, which have been shown to be very powerful and effective in disease prevention.  You certainly wouldn’t be calling these healthy and safe foods “dirty” as you profess concern about chronic illness.

The annual release of the “Dirty Dozen” list is even more concerning in 2025 due to rising consumer costs as well as potential cuts to food assistance programs that help so many families.  And yet, EWG will still release its decades-old list telling consumers to avoid the most popular and affordable fruits and vegetables based upon discredited scientific methodology.

Ironically, EWG also claims that their “Dirty Dozen” list helps consumers to shop cost effectively for produce, which is yet another disingenuous statement.  We actually tried following it a couple of years ago and found that the cost of buying produce would increase by 48% based upon EWG’s recommendations.

What helps many consumers in the shopping aisle is providing accurate information about the safety of fruits and vegetables – organic and conventional.  This is one of the key reasons the Alliance for Food and Farming (AFF) conducts farm tours every year for registered dietitians/influencers so they can learn more about farming and transparently see firsthand organic and conventional production practices and then share that information directly with their clients and consumers.

Consumers should be reassured that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is key to improving health and increasing lifespan.  That is something we know for sure.

And instead of hearing inaccurate claims from EWG, they should also know that they can choose organic and conventional produce with confidence since decades of data analysis, information, studies and science confirm both are safe.

After 30 years, it is time for EWG to abandon its “Dirty Dozen” list.  It is a tired tactic with unproductive results.  Instead, EWG should evolve and embrace its leader’s statement and help “Americans eat healthier foods.”

Final thought – if a “report” has a “Donate” button on every page, it probably isn’t about promoting or protecting public health.