USDA Urged To Remove Dairy Category From 2025 Dietary Guidelines

An open letter is urging the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to remove the dairy category from its 2025 dietary guidelines, citing significant health concerns associated with dairy consumption. The letter, spearheaded by nonprofit Switch4Good and supported by healthcare professionals, argues that the current guidelines are not equitable as they promote dairy as a necessary part of the diet, despite many Americans being lactose intolerant or choosing to avoid dairy for ethical and environmental reasons. The letter suggests moving dairy to the protein category and providing alternatives to traditional dairy products.

Switch4Good is encouraging people to submit comments to the USDA using their template to support the removal of dairy from the guidelines. The organization had success in the past when convincing the USDA to include soy milk as an alternative to dairy in the guidelines. With growing support from healthcare professionals and consumers, Switch4Good hopes the USDA will consider making small incremental changes to promote a more inclusive and evidence-based approach to dietary recommendations.