With help from Mona Zhang

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Even in an increasingly health-conscious America, the federal government has devoted only a tiny fraction of its research dollars to nutrition, a POLITICO investigation found. Meanwhile, consumers are confused about what to eat and increasingly suffering from diet-related diseases.

The FDA on Thursday announced new tools for detecting worrisome non-stick chemicals, known as PFAS, in the food supply.

Billionaire activist and Democratic presidential contender Tom Steyer is rolling out his platform for rural America today, and MA has the scoop.

A message from the National Confectioners Association:

#AlwaysATreat: It's the Halloween season, and we want to make sure you enjoy your favorite treats with no tricks. Were coming together to help people manage their sugar intake and ensure that they feel empowered to make informed choices when enjoying their favorite treats. Learn more at AlwaysATreat.com/HalloweenCentral

HAPPY FRIDAY, NOV. 1! Welcome to Morning Ag, where your host loves Brussels sprouts and is thankful for the genetic breeding that made them tasty! Send news tips to cboudreau@politico.com and @ceboudreau, and follow us @Morning_Ag.

WHY WE DONT KNOW WHAT TO EAT TO STAY HEALTHY: Nutrition research is an afterthought in Washington even though diet-related diseases like obesity and Type 2 diabetes are skyrocketing, threatening the fiscal sustainability of the U.S. health care system, reports your host and Pro Ags Helena Bottemiller Evich.

A POLITICO analysis of federal budget documents dating back decades reveals that NIH and USDA, as a share of their overall research dollars, are shrinking investments in nutrition. NIH in 2018 invested $1.8 billion, or just under 5 percent of its total budget. USDAs Agricultural Research Service spends much less: Just $88 million was devoted to nutrition last year, or a little more than 7 percent of its overall research portfolio virtually the same as in 1983 when adjusted for inflation.

To boot, theres a lack of federal leadership on nutrition research, no major lobbying force on Capitol Hill, and a nutrition science community that finds itself fighting over whether public health enemy No. 1 is processed carbs or fat or sodium or sugar. Meanwhile, consumers get a regular dose of whiplash on diet advice: One day coffee is healthy, the next its not; red wine is good for your heart, or maybe not; cheese is either a healthy source of protein and calcium, or a dangerous overdose of fat and salt.

This has prompted calls for establishing a National Institute of Nutrition, to be housed under NIH. Leading that effort is Joon Yun, a Silicon Valley investor better known for putting up millions to spur innovations to end aging. He and two high-profile allies Dariush Mozaffarian, dean of Tufts Universitys nutrition school, and David Kessler, who led the FDA during the George H.W. Bush and Clinton administrations are trying to build momentum on Capitol Hill.

I dont think we can afford not to have a National Institute of Nutrition, Yun said. Pros, read the profile from yours truly and Helena here.

FDA HAS A NEW WAY TO TEST FOR PFAS IN FOOD: The agency on Thursday announced it has a scientifically validated method for testing 16 different types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in food a significant step for FDA and state health and environmental authorities that are trying to determine how much Americans are exposed to the chemicals through their diet.

As part of this effort, the FDA in June released the preliminary results of PFAS testing in a limited sampling of foods, including from areas specifically affected by PFAS environmental contamination and the general food supply, via a routine program monitoring about 800 contaminants in the average U.S. diet. After applying the validated testing method to the initial results which detected PFAS, in many cases at very low levels, in 14 out of 91 samples the FDA said thats been revised to only two out of the 91 samples.

The new results: PFAS, after initially being detected in a range of foods, was only present in ground turkey and tilapia. It was also detected in milk and produce from areas with known environmental contamination; the milk was discarded and didnt enter the food supply, while the agency determined the concentrations in produce were so low they werent a human health concern.

Curious case of chocolate cake: The preliminary testing also showed extremely high levels of PFAS in chocolate cake. However, FDA determined that chocolate appears to produce false positives. To avoid this, the new validated testing includes an additional step to confirm measurements.

There are nearly 5,000 types of PFAS, which since the 1940s have been used in everything from Teflon cookware to food packaging. PFAS have been dubbed forever chemicals because they can take thousands of years to degrade. Theyre found in about 99.8 percent of Americans blood, and several of the most well-studied are linked to kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease and other ailments.

STEYER UNVEILS PLAN FOR RURAL AMERICA: The billionaire activist is rolling out his Partnership with Rural America platform today, and MA got a sneak preview. Steyer joins many of his 2020 Democratic rivals in calling for the agriculture sector to address the climate crisis, pledging to spend $50 billion helping growers adopt climate-smart practices, $75 billion building green water infrastructure and $20 billion reforming land conservation easement tax credits.

He also set a goal for agriculture to be carbon neutral by 2045, aided by revenue-generating market mechanisms that would direct at least 50 percent of the proceeds to disadvantaged communities and small- and mid-sized farmers. (Check out a profile of Steyer from POLITICOs Eugene Daniels.)

Steyer wants to establish an Office of Rural Affairs in the White House, which would coordinate his plans for the health care system, such as preventing hospital closures in remote areas while investing $100 billion over a decade in mental health and $75 billion to combat the opioid epidemic. It would also expand rural housing programs.

Support for clean energy and public lands initiatives are Steyers most robust financial commitments, where he would spend upward of $200 billion. The candidate did not detail how he plans to fund much of his rural platform, however.

EXCLUSIVE: HEMP ORG RELEASES NEW GUIDANCE: Third-party certification organization U.S. Hemp Authority is releasing new guidance procedures today, Pro Cannabis Mona Zhang has learned. The guidance establishes definitions for labels often found on cannabidiol, or CBD, products like full spectrum and takes cues from the FDAs regulations on food, supplements and cosmetics (although the agency has yet to release rules for CBD).

Amid the regulatory limbo, some in the hemp industry have taken steps to self-regulate. The goal, the organizations President Marielle Weintraub said, is to avoid what I refer to as a 60 Minutes moment where one company does something that brings down this entire industry, because it is under a microscope. Weintraub added that to keep up with CBDs rapid sales growth, her group plans to regularly update the guidelines.

USDA released its own interim hemp rules on Tuesday, but many issues still havent been addressed by federal regulators, including contaminant testing, seed certification and labeling.

The FDA on Thursday announced that an E. coli outbreak involving 23 illnesses was likely associated with romaine lettuce. No deaths were reported and the outbreak appears to be over, the agency said. However, it communicated details to help ensure full awareness by the public and to highlight the ongoing importance of industry actions to ensure the safety of leafy greens.

The Senate on Thursday passed a bipartisan package of fiscal 2020 spending bills that cover USDA and FDA, Pro Budgets Caitlin Emma and Jennifer Scholtes report. But lawmakers are still tangling over the vast majority of government funding, including over President Donald Trumps border wall, as a Nov. 21 deadline looms.

The Trump administration plans to keep some tariffs on Chinese goods for another three years, Pro Trades Doug Palmer reports, based on a Federal Register notice set to be published today.

Around 1 in 4 of the worlds pigs are expected to die from African swine fever, according to the World Organization for Animal Health in Paris. Read the story from POLITICO Europes Arthur Neslen.

Global commodity traders ADM, Bunge and Cargill are sustaining more damage from the U.S.-China trade war, reporting lower quarterly earnings in recent weeks, The Wall Street Journal reports.

A message from the National Confectioners Association:

#AlwaysATreat: At Halloween and throughout the year, were making sure that consumers have more information, options and support with smaller pack sizes, clear calorie labels and even more information online. And since 90 percent of parents use Halloween to talk to their children about balance, this month is the perfect time to talk about little treats with your little ones. Did you know most people in the U.S. enjoy chocolate and candy 2-3 times per week, averaging just 40 calories per day, including during candy moments like Halloween? To provide consumers and parents with more support this Halloween, weve developed a set of digital resources to help make this season a little less spooky. Learn more at AlwaysATreat.com/HalloweenCentral.

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Why we don't know what to eat to stay healthy - Politico