Dear Friends,
In 60 seconds or less you can take action as a citizen and make your voice heard before the window closes this Friday May 8th. To take action now go towww.myplatemyplanet.org or
keep reading below for more context.
Here’s the full story:
Every 5 years the US dietary guidelines are updated. And what goes into those guidelines informs the $16billion school lunch program, WIC, and other institutional procurement standards nationally. Every 5 years an independent science panel recommends what should
be updated in the guidelines- then there is a short public review period which typically involves industries advocating for their special interests “more sugar!” “more beef!” etc. while citizens remain uninformed and their voices never heard by the government
agencies that decide on the final guidelines.
This year, for the first time ever, the science committee recommended considering the sustainability of the dietary patterns promoted by the dietary guidelines, for the sake of food security to feed
our country healthfully today and in the future. This is an unprecedented and welcome change!
But Big Ag has pushed back saying there is no place for sustainability language in the dietary guidelines. The livestock industry have been mobilizing their membership to place comments protecting their interests,
and working against that of the public, by objecting to the inclusion of sustainability, as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
Over the next few months a political process will take place behind closed doors to define what will be in our dietary guidelines. But we as citizens have one
last chance to have our voices heard! We can submit
a public comment directly to the HHS and USDA by May 8th. |
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