NCBA rejects proposed dietary guidelines

During the last full week of October, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee released its preliminary recommendations for the 2025-30 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), a framework providing advice on what to eat and drink to meet nutritional needs, promote healthy living and prevent disease. 

As part of these new recommendations, the committee pushes even harder for a plant-based diet, suggesting Americans replace red meat such as beef with beans, peas and lentils. 

Over the past week, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has spoken out to voice their disgust of this sentiment, calling the committee’s recommendations “unhinged” and “out of touch.” 

“The preview meeting of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee stands out as one of the most out-of-touch, impractical and elitist conversations in the history of this process,” states NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane in an Oct. 22 press release.

“After 22 months of public discussion and lip service to transparency, we are disappointed by the number of chaotic new directions proposed at the literal last minute,” he continues. “We would laugh at the suggestion beans, peas and lentils are going to replace lean red meat and fill all of the nutrient gaps Americans are facing if it weren’t such a dangerous and deceptive idea.”

Total package protein

During an episode of NCBA’s Beltway Beef podcast, Registered Dietitian and NCBA Executive Director of Nutrition Science Dr. Shalene McNeill notes, over the past four decades, dietary guidelines have slowly nudged Americans to eat less meat. 

However, in this same time frame, the U.S. has seen an increase in obesity, diabetes, nutrient deficiencies and chronic disease. 

“Research continues to show, as red meat intake declines, iron and other nutrient deficiencies are on the rise,” she says. “We are headed in the wrong direction in regards to our nutritional adequacy in the U.S., and beef can help offset and close the nutrient gaps we are facing.” 

With this, McNeill explains beef offers 10 essential nutrients in just one three ounce serving, including protein, iron, zinc, vitamins B6 and B12, choline, niacin, phosphorus, riboflavin and selenium. 

While beef offers a total package protein source to all Americans, McNeill notes these essential nutrients are especially critical for adolescent girls, pregnant women and seniors. 

“Few foods offer the nutritional package beef offers,” she states. 

Consumer preferences 

On Oct. 25, McNeill made an appearance on RFD-TV to voice NCBA’s concerns regarding the committee’s proposed guidelines. 

During the program, she tells RFD-TV News Anchor Suzanne Alexander, not only is encouraging Americans to eat less meat a concern health-wise, it is also out-of-touch when it comes to consumer preferences. 

McNeill explains many consumers, particularly those in the health and wellness space, are most interested in including high-protein foods in their diets. 

In fact, there has been a recent push in younger generations to eat an “animal-based” diet, which consists of foods that come from animals such as fresh meat, fish, eggs, dairy and honey, with some going more extreme and eating strictly carnivore. 

Proponents of these diets understand the benefits of red meat and prefer it over other sources of protein. 

“The public is looking for more protein, but these guidelines are saying we should cut back on high-quality protein and replace it with something of less quality like beans, peas and lentils. It just doesn’t make sense,” McNeill states. 

“Consumers want to eat food they enjoy – like beef – as part of a healthy diet, so I think we need to be encouraging beef as part of a healthy diet, as opposed to discouraging it,” she adds.

Next steps 

Although beef is in demand, McNeill points out the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s push to nix red meat from the DGA is still concerning, as these guidelines form the basis of nutritional policy.

“I often say, if it is not in the dietary guidelines, it is not going to be in the school lunch program or military feeding programs,” she explains. “It is also the key document which informs so much of what health professionals including physicians and dieticians use to recommend healthy diets.”

“It is a critical document, and it is really important we are involved in shaping the input and research on this document because there is so much good news and great research about how beef can play a very important role in nourishing Americans today,” she continues. 

From here, McNeill explains the committee will create a written report by Dec. 9, followed by a comment period where the public can weigh in on the proposed dietary recommendations. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services will consider the recommendations and public comments to create the final 2025-30 DGA. 

NCBA encourages all individuals to provide comments on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s proposed guidelines when the comment period opens.

Meanwhile, NCBA is calling producers and the public to reach out to their respective members of Congress to discourage the committee from eliminating red meat from the DGA. 

To do this, visit ncba.org/policy or text BEEF to 52886. 

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.