A month-long process to set the federal government's food recommendations for the next five years is now set to run until 2025. That timing means Biden officials will miss the opportunity to implement new guidelines before the Trump administration takes office.
Changing the terms in the middle of an update is unprecedented in recent history, although previous versions have come close: an update in 2005 was finished a few days before the inauguration and 2020 The amendment came a month before Biden took office.
These guidelines are being hotly debated in Washington because they affect wide array Federal programs range from nutrition label regulations to school lunch standards. They are traditionally based on scientific reports from external experts.
that committee is meeting from last yearwrestling with an array of controversial questionAnd its recommendations are not expected to be released until mid-December. It usually takes several months after the report is prepared for the authorities to publish their guidelines.
A person familiar with the process told CBS News the deadline was set well before Election Day.
An HHS spokesperson did not comment on the timing of the report, other than to confirm that it is expected “by the end of the year.”
“HHS and USDA will continue to demonstrate our commitment to transparency, equity, and scientific integrity throughout the process,” the spokesperson said.
Former officials said it is nearly impossible for the Biden administration to complete the update before leaving office. Much work remains, such as verifying findings and developing and testing updated messaging across devices. my plateWhich replaced the food pyramid.
“Given the complexity and the approach taken by different departments, it's a very massive change,” said Dr. Brett Giroir, who served as assistant secretary of health at HHS under the Trump administration's final amendment.
The guidelines should also take into account input from the public and agencies before the agriculture and health departments reach an agreement.
“I believe that when Congress asks two agencies to collaborate on something, it's an intended tension, with the hope that the end product will be headed in the right direction. And I think that's certainly People would agree that HHS and USDA often come from different constituencies, different perspectives,” said Brandon Lipps, who was USDA deputy under secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services under Trump.
An expected fight will be over the proposals released last month As part of a broader recommendation by committee members to “emphasize plant sources” of protein, “shift” to more “nutrient-rich, plant-based diets.”
On the campaign trail, Trump had accused His opponent wanted to “stop people from eating red meat”. one in statement Last month, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association called the recommendations “impractical” and “impractical.”
Under the draft, not only vegetables but also beans, peas and lentils can be listed as protein sources. Due to health concerns such as heart disease, red meat will be moved down the rankings of protein foods.
To reduce health risks and still meet nutritional goals, red meat most often needs to be replaced in the American diet, according to analyzes conducted by the committee.
Christopher Gardner, a member of the committee, said, “Red meat, whether processed or not, was more reducing than poultry or eggs. So I would have put them last.”
How might Trump administration officials change the guidelines?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made changes to the committee as a key part of his “Make America Healthy Again” mandate. platform,
“We need to change the panel, so they're making good recommendations and they're telling people not to eat these foods,” Kennedy said. on September,
They may also provide a means for Kennedy to accomplish his goals, such as curbing ultra-processed foods in school lunches. If confirmed as secretary, Kennedy and his counterpart at USDA will have final authority over what goes into the guidelines.
“If Congress had wanted a group of scientists to write dietary guidelines, they would have put it into law. So the committee makes recommendations, and the secretary takes input from that report,” Lipps said.
It would be unprecedented to completely ignore the committee's work, although in the past the departments – often run by career civil servants – sometimes disagree With some recommendations.
“The process is not perfect, there is bureaucracy. But I believe that having transparent scientific committees where everyone knows where it is coming from is the best approach,” Giroir said.