New USDA Dietary Guidelines

The USDA released the new “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” report and to say that it raised a few eyebrows in the beef and pork industries is a bit of an understatement. Mostly the report focused on the usual rah rah on how consumers should avoid trans fats and added sugars while including more lean proteins, seafood and beans, and more fruits and vegetables in their menus. All this is well and good. However, when asked on how the new guidelines might affect the American publics meat consumption Ag Secretary Vilsack did a fancy sidestep stating that “Americans need to have more balance in their diets than they have in the past”. Again, true and good, but when the question on meat consumption was asked twice again by different members of the media Vilsack again chose to skirt the issue saying this doesn’t necessarily have to mean a reduction in sales for meat producers, that meat producers should focus on exports and not just the domestic market. It would have been refreshing if he had answered simply that lean beef and pork are both nutritious sources of protein and should continue to be included as part of a healthy diet.