The government will allow an additional 30 days for comment on the report by a panel of experts on how to revise the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The report has drawn criticism because it says environmental sustainability should be taken into account in recommending a healthy diet. Farm groups, especially from the meat industry, say the report is wrong to say people should eat less meat. “This greatly concerns dietitians who support consumption of lean red meat, and is alarming to livestock producers,” said chairman Jerry Moran of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the USDA. A new edition of the guidelines is due this year.
“Our responsibility is to focus on diet and nutrition,” replied Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack when Moran raised the issue during a hearing. “That’s the direction you have given us and that’s the direction I intend to follow.” The USDA and the Health and Human Services Department share responsibility for the guidelines. They initially set a 45-day comment period. When Moran asked about a longer comment period, Vilsack said, “It may be appropriate for us to consider lengthening that a bit.” The 30-day extension, to May 8, was announced by HHS on the home page for the guidelines.
The advisory panel said, “The major findings regarding sustainable diets were that a diet higher in plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and lower in calories and animal-based foods, is more health-promoting and is associated with less environmental impact than is the current U.S. diet.”