WASHINGTON — The Grain Foods Foundation (GFF) is boosting its efforts to promote the benefits of grain-based foods to the public and policymakers. 

At Nexus 2024, held Sept. 30-Oct. 3 in Washington, DC, Erin Ball, executive director of GFF, highlighted the advocacy efforts the foundation is employing. These include working closely with registered dietitian influencers to promote grain-based foods on platforms like Tik Tok, Instagram and LinkedIn.

“They’re really repackaging some of this science and science-based research in very consumer-friendly formats,” she said.

This influencer strategy has helped GFF gain traction in recent years in getting their message to the public, Ball added.  

“When I first came to [GFF], I was like ‘That’s so pay-to-play, that just doesn’t feel authentic,” she admitted. “But the way that these dieticians relay the science alongside how people talk about what they eat has been powerful, and so that’s a tactic I’m really proud of.”

Next year GFF will host its first in-person influencer event, bringing 10 to 15 social media influencers together, likely registered dietitians, to engage in grain-foods myth busting and meet GFF’s Scientific Advisory Board. 

“Hopefully [the influencers] leave that event with plenty of content that they can use on their social media platforms to their audiences,” Ball said.

GFF also conducts consumer insights research that examines consumer eating habits and how they view grain-based foods. Ball said these insights have resonated with agencies like the US Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS), both of which write the American dietary guidelines that can significantly impact how consumers view grain foods.

“I think it serves to contextualize these nutritious foods, these accessible, affordable foods,” Ball said. “This is how people put them into their lives. Can we work with that in terms of the dietary guidelines?”

The foundation additionally is heavily investing in scientific research. GFF is currently conducting a $1.5 million study of 125 subjects with Purdue University that Ball believes will be instrumental in demonstrating the importance of grain-based foods in consumer diets. 

“The quality of data we're going to have from 125 subjects, it'll be worth the wait,” Ball said. “I can't explain how much it will be worth the wait.”

Scientific data like this has been critical in securing big wins for GFF. For example, a recent proposal to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans would’ve taken a serving of grains off USDA’s MyPlate, which offers recommended intake of the five food groups, and replaced it with starchy vegetables. However, this proposal was halted after the committee examined data on what would be lost if this serving of grains was removed. 

“They looked very closely at the science, not only modeling, but also the body of literature,” Ball explained. “There were too many concerns about inadequacy.”

Through its efforts, GFF is fighting the stigma grain-based foods face from many consumers and policymakers, especially with low-carb diets like keto continuing to trend. 

“I think we’re in a season with consumers, and honestly the public health community, where we have to defend the public and give consumers permission,” Ball said. “[These products] are nutritious, they are accessible for people living in a range of socioeconomic positions; they’re affordable and multicultural. There are very few foods that apply to a whole population or are accessible to a whole population in the same way as grain foods.”

Going forward, Ball said GFF is looking to increase dues investments to fund its advocacy efforts.

“Quality research is very expensive,” she explained. “Consumer research with a big data house is very expensive, and so I'm very jealous for every dollar of dues revenue, but also so grateful, and I understand your companies make sacrifices to be generous and consistent with GFF.”

GFF has also launched the Grain Foods Research Institute, a 501(c)(3), or public charity, where GFF can draw money to match research funding, Ball said. The foundation is looking at organizations like the USDA, National Institute of Health, National Cancer Institute, Department of Health and more for grant funding. 

“We’re leaving no stone unturned,” Ball said.