The first meeting of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee will take place Thursday and Friday (3/28-3/29) in Washington, D.C. This is the first of five meetings scheduled for the committee, which will evaluate the latest scientific evidence and make recommendations on what constitutes a healthy diet. The final version of the guidelines is expected to be jointly released by USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services late next year.
NCBA members have identified the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as a policy priority for this year. While the current guidelines reaffirm the role of lean beef in a healthy dietary pattern, it took extensive work by NCBA to get the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to even consider the latest science showing the benefits of beef.
Work on the next guidelines started last year when NCBA nominated eight highly qualified individuals to be considered for the 20-member advisory committee. Two of those individuals were appointed.
NCBA, as a contractor to the checkoff, will provide extensive research showing beef is a high-quality protein with essential nutrients for human health like iron, zinc and B vitamins. The policy side of NCBA will monitor the process to ensure beef is objectively evaluated. Close coordination will take place between NCBA’s checkoff and policy efforts.