In a CBS News interview, Maggie Baird, an actress-turned-advocate, argued that what Americans put on their plates is an overlooked but powerful climate tool. “Food is climate policy,” Baird told the network, urging households and policymakers to promote plant-based meals as a way to lower emissions while tackling diet-related disease that disproportionately affects marginalized communities.

Baird’s message builds on a growing body of science linking the food system to the climate crisis and public health. International analyses such as the EAT-Lancet Commission and reports from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization have found that agriculture and food production account for a substantial share of global greenhouse gases, with animal agriculture—particularly beef—responsible for outsized emissions per unit of protein. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency attributes roughly 10 percent of national greenhouse gas emissions directly to agriculture, with additional emissions from land use, transportation and processing tied to food consumption.

Public health researchers say a shift toward plant-forward diets carries clear benefits. Diets lower in red and processed meats and higher in fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. Those benefits can translate into lower health-care costs and improved population health, especially in communities where chronic disease rates are highest.

But experts and advocates caution that emphasizing individual choice without structural supports risks deepening inequities. Low-income neighborhoods, rural communities and many communities of color often face limited access to fresh produce, higher prices for healthy options and food retail landscapes dominated by convenience stores. Labor conditions for farmworkers and the economic realities for ranching families complicate a simple narrative of personal responsibility.

Baird acknowledged these complexities in the CBS segment, calling for policies that make plant-based diets feasible for all. Public-health advocates point to concrete measures: redirecting agricultural subsidies to support fruit, vegetable and legume production; expanding incentives in SNAP and other nutrition programs for healthy purchases; strengthening procurement standards in schools and hospitals; and funding transition assistance for livestock producers to diversify crops or shift to regenerative practices.

The market is already responding to demand shifts: sales of plant-based proteins and meat alternatives have grown, and some municipalities and school districts have piloted plant-centric meal initiatives. Yet critics warn that many processed plant-based alternatives are expensive or highly processed, and that cultural preferences and culinary traditions must be respected in any policy push.

Climate justice advocates underscore that the communities bearing the worst impacts of climate change—often low-income neighborhoods and communities of color—also shoulder the highest burden of diet-related illness. “Addressing food as a climate and health policy means confronting long-standing inequities in who gets access to nutritious food, who works the fields, and who pays for the health consequences,” said a public health researcher at a major university.

Baird’s appeal adds a high-profile voice to a complex debate: individual dietary choices can matter, but meaningful progress will depend on systemic changes in agriculture, food retail, public nutrition programs and rural economic planning. As policymakers consider climate and health strategies, the question will be whether investments align to make healthier, lower-carbon diets affordable and culturally acceptable for the millions who need them most.