An Open Letter to President Trump: America 250 Needs a Declaration of Gluten Independence
- Jon Bari
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
July 4, 2026
Dear Mr. President,
Greetings from Philadelphia and Happy Birthday America!
The Declaration of Independence changed the course of history.
As our great nation celebrates America 250, we can write a new chapter in our story. We can declare independence from confusing food labels that leave millions of Americans living with Celiac Disease worried that their next bite of food could make them very sick.
In addition to fireworks and parades, this July 4th also deserves meaningful action to honor the spirit of the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
That is why we are respectfully asking you to proclaim a new "Declaration of Gluten Independence" -- one that will provide millions of Americans the freedom to eat without fear.
This can be accomplished through an Executive Order directing Secretary Kennedy to issue rulemaking to require the disclosure of barley, rye and oats as Major Food Allergens on all packaged foods.
For 3.3 million Americans living with Celiac Disease, including about 729,000 children, freedom begins with something most Americans never have to worry about: knowing whether the food they buy is safe to eat.
Americans should not have to be detectives in the grocery store.
Barley, rye and oats are often hidden in seasonings, flavorings, and spices, and not disclosed. Sometimes gluten is hidden in plain sight when these are not declared by common name. Gluten can also appear as "malt flavor" instead of "barley malt flavor." Gluten grains can be buried in long ingredient lists with small print and not called out as allergens.
We the people deserve clear, transparent labels.
The rest of the world has already recognized this.
Today, 87 countries -- including Canada, the United Kingdom, and all across the European Union - require the labeling of gluten-containing grains: wheat, barley, rye, and oats.
Yet since 2006, the U.S. has only required the mandatory declaration of wheat as a Major Food Allergen.
Fortunately, Americans are ready for change.
A recent Fox News poll of registered voters found overwhelming bipartisan support for stronger food regulations:
81% believe that increasing transparency in food labeling is important.
91% favor clearer food labels.
Few issues unite our country today.
Safer food is one of them.
It’s also consistent with your administration's amazing commitment to Make America Healthy Again.
The Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy Report already recognized this need: "FDA will develop guidance on diagnostics and treatments for food allergies. FDA will also make recommendations about requiring transparency in disclosures of ingredients that impact certain health conditions, such as gluten for those with Celiac disease, and other established food allergens."
We are grateful that the MAHA Commission listened to my 13-year old son's common-sense solution. This marked the first time that any White House recognized food allergies and celiac disease as health policy issues.
In contrast, the Biden Administration failed to act on an FDA citizen petition submitted by my then-10-year-old son, whose common-sense proposal sought to make food safer for millions of Americans.
In discussing gluten food allergen labeling, Secretary Kennedy stated that the MAHA Strategy’s directive demands "radical transparency in packaged food ingredients that affect health conditions and diet-related allergies. Americans deserve clear, reliable information about what’s in their food and how it's made."
Since gluten-containing grains are not declared as Major Food Allergens in the United States, Celiacs have been forced to rely on products that are voluntarily labeled Gluten Free. Often times, these products are ultra-processed foods that have been specifically created to be marketed in a premium marketplace of high-priced Gluten Free food items.
According to The New York Times, "because use of the gluten-free claim is voluntary, many foods that are in fact gluten-free might not be labeled as such."
Consumer Reports has urged Secretary Kennedy to move swiftly to require mandatory labeling of barley, rye and oats as Major Food Allergens, aligning U.S. consumer protections with 87 other countries.
Mr. President, America 250 is the perfect moment to deliver a common-sense victory that would change the lives of my 13-year-old son and millions of Americans living with Celiac Disease.
We are respectfully asking you to issue an Executive Order directing HHS Secretary Kennedy to issue rulemaking to declare barley, rye and oats as Major Food Allergens. This would build upon the commitments already outlined in the MAHA Strategy Report and demonstrate that America is serious about putting the health of its children and families first.
What better way to celebrate America's 250th Birthday than by restoring food freedom to the 729,000 children living with Celiac Disease?
As we celebrate America 250, it's time to declare our independence from confusing food labels that leave millions of Americans forced to play the gluten guessing game.
Give children the freedom to eat without fear.
Give America one more reason to celebrate its 250th Birthday.
Thank you!
God Bless the United States of America!
Respectfully,
Jon Bari
Co-Founder
Celiac Journey
Draft Executive Order
Suggested draft language for a proposed Executive Order is available at
About the Author
Jon Bari teaches at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and he is the Co-Founder of Celiac Journey, a pediatric patient advocacy organization. Jon and his son Jax have worked with both the Trump and Biden administrations on Celiac disease advocacy. Jon also runs The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia which provides guided tours of America's Birthplace at Independence National Historical Park.
