The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has filed a petition with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), demanding the retraction and reissuance of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines due to alleged excessive industry influence from the meat and dairy sectors. The petition, submitted on January 8, highlights that eight of the nine authors of the scientific report informing the new Guidelines received funding or compensation from organizations such as the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Texas Beef Council, General Mills, National Dairy Council, and the National Pork Board.
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The complaint claims that the USDA and HHS have violated the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which is intended to prevent inappropriate influence from special interests on the Guidelines. Neal Barnard, MD, FACC, president of the Physicians Committee, criticized the current framework, referring to it as the "cholesterol cartel" that has manipulated federal dietary guidelines. He emphasized that the promotion of meat and dairy is contributing to health issues among Americans.
The new Guidelines recommend limiting saturated fat to no more than 10% of daily calories yet also suggest prioritizing meat and dairy consumption. Recent research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine has indicated that saturated fat can increase LDL cholesterol levels, thereby heightening cardiovascular disease risk.
Dr. Barnard stated that the issue of industry influence within the Guidelines is longstanding, referencing previous legal actions taken by the Physicians Committee against the improper influence on the 2000, 2010, 2015, and 2020 Guidelines, in which the committee successfully argued that members had financial ties to industries associated with unhealthy food products. He asserts that the Guidelines should be rewritten by impartial authors utilizing the latest nutrition research to effectively promote health and combat diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.