Agribusiness Update for Friday 02/20/15

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the USDA released the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee's report. This report is a recommendation to the Secretaries as they develop the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that will be released later this year. 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 U.S.; and on the other hand, they have left lean meat out of what they consider to be a healthy dietary pattern.

President Obama has designated a number of new national monuments including Brown's Canyon in Colorado. While that's usually a good thing, the 21-thousand acres along the Arkansas River has the Colorado Cattleman's Association concerned and says that a presidential declaration is not in the best interest of the agricultural community. Designating the area a national monument could severely restrict livestock producers in the area from herd numbers, water rights and more.

That's today's Agribusiness Update from the Ag Information Network of the West.