Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced what he described as a major policy victory following the release of the final Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, which maintain meat and other animal-based proteins as core components of a healthy diet.
According to Marshall, the final guidelines rejected proposals that would have moved beef and other animal-based proteins to the bottom of the federal government’s protein priority list. Earlier recommendations from a committee of Biden-Harris administration appointees suggested listing beans, peas, and lentils as the preferred protein sources, while placing meat, poultry, and eggs last.
In February 2025, a coalition of 23 states, including Alabama, submitted a comment letter supporting the role of beef in a balanced and protein-rich diet. That coalition argued that dietary guidance should be based on established scientific and medical research rather than broader social frameworks.
The final guidelines, issued under the Trump Administration, did not adopt the committee’s proposed reordering of protein sources. Instead, the guidelines continue to recognize meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood as central elements of the protein foods group. They also emphasize the importance of adequate protein intake across all life stages and acknowledge the nutritional contributions of animal-based proteins.
Marshall criticized the earlier advisory committee’s approach, stating that dietary recommendations should rely strictly on scientific evidence. He said the final guidelines reflect a return to what he characterized as evidence-based decision-making.
Supporters of the final guidelines point to research linking sufficient protein intake to satiety, childhood development, muscle maintenance, and the prevention of anemia. Beef and other meats are also recognized sources of key micronutrients involved in metabolic function, cognitive development, and hormone regulation.
Marshall said Alabama’s cattle producers and consumers nationwide stand to benefit from the final guidelines, which he said reaffirm the role of animal-based protein in a healthy diet.
In addition to Alabama and Nebraska, attorneys general from Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming joined the February comment letter supporting the inclusion of beef and other animal-based proteins in federal dietary guidance.
