Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 3/4/15

The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) is stepping up its challenge to the recent recommendations on U.S. dietary guidelines just a week after seeking a longer comment period on the report from the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC).

NAMI said it has sent letters and emails to more than 40 editorial page editors at U.S. media outlets to stress its concerns about the DGAC report, which recommends lowering consumption of red meat and has what NAMI says is a focus on sustainability efforts. The organization is also developing a grassroots strategy to convince USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell to take a closer look at the red meat recommendations before the DGAC files its final report.

NAMI’s efforts so far have included a letter to Obama administration officials seeking that the longer comment period be expanded to 120 days from 45 days. The expanded campaign takes issue with the DGAC’s sustainability focus in the current report to be reviewed as the organization feels the environmental issues are outside of the scope of the committee’s charter. NAMI added that Vilsack told a Health and Human Services hearing last week that the comment period will be expanded by 60 days.

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