Government Dietary Guidelines Reaffirm Beef’s Important Role in a Healthy Diet

July 20, 2020

As work continues to finalize the 2020 Dietary Guidelines, the U.S. beef cattle industry is thanking members of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for recognizing beef’s role in a healthy lifestyle.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the cornerstone of all federal nutrition policy. 

The Montana Beef Council’s Executive Director Chaley Harney says the committee recognized the essential role that beef plays in a healthy diet.

“We were pleased with the results from the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for recognizing beef’s role in a healthy lifestyle and including the essential role of beef’s nutrients at every life stage” said Harney.

She says the beef industry has made it a priority to protect the scientific credibility of Dietary Guidelines and promote accurate information about the nutritional advantages of beef as part of a balanced diet.

“Through beef checkoff funded research, we are able to offer accurate information about the nutritional advantages of beef as part of a balanced diet and we believe it is important to protect the scientific credibility of the Dietary Guidelines” said Harney.

She says that Montana’s beef producers appreciate the evidence-based recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.

“We believe beef is a wholesome, nutritious food that plays an important role in a healthy diet and we are supportive of many of the committee’s findings.”

While the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report is influential in the development of the Dietary Guidelines, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and HHS Secretary Alex Azar are now tasked with reviewing the recommendations before finalizing the 2020 Guidelines.

The public can submit comments on the proposed guidelines thru August 13, 2020.

Source: Montana Ag Network & Western Ag Network