Industry reaction to dietary guidelines report

The reaction to the dietary guidelines recommendations by producers and industry was swift and to the point. These recommendations are considered far reaching and could create a political reaction. Various comments from industry:

• North American Meat Institute: “Lean meat’s relegation to a footnote ignores the countless studies and data that the Committee reviewed for the last two years that showed unequivocally that meat and poultry are among the most nutrient-dense foods available. Nutrient-dense lean meat is a headline, not a footnote.” Also, “As NAMI has pointed out in previous comments to the committee, the Dietary Guidelines Committee’s charter tasked them with reviewing nutrition science, which is the field from which Committee members were selected. The Committee’s foray into the murky waters of sustainability is well beyond its scope and expertise. It’s akin to having a dermatologist provide recommendations about cardiac care.”
• National Pork Producers Council: “We think the advisory committee has taken the wrong approach. Science recognizes that meat is, and should be, a part of a healthful diet, and NPPC urges the USDA and HHS secretaries to keep meat in the center of America’s plate. It appears the advisory committee was more interested in addressing what’s trendy among foodies than providing science-based advice for the average American’s diet.”
• National Cattlemen’s Beef Association: “Unfortunately, the report is inconsistent, and if adopted will lead to conflicting dietary advice. On one hand, the Committee has endorsed the Mediterranean-style diet, which has higher red meat levels than currently consumed in the United States, and on the other hand, they have left lean meat out of what they consider to be a healthy dietary pattern.” NCBA also said, “Lean meat is red meat. Today’s beef supply is leaner than ever before with more than 30 cuts of beef recognized as lean by government standards. The protein foods category, which includes meat, is the only category currently consumed within the current guidelines, and it is misleading to conclude that a healthy dietary pattern should be lower in red meat.”