May 17, 2024
THE HONORABLE SUSAN M. COLLINS
United States Senate
413 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Collins:
Thank you for your letter dated March 26, 2024, cosigned by your colleagues and jointly
addressed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services (HHS) regarding the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s work
regarding vegetables, including potatoes.
We appreciate the opportunity to correct misinformation that has been circulating and creating
misunderstanding. Let us assure you that there is no intent and no effort underway to reclassify
potatoes as a grain, nor are there analyses singling out potatoes.
USDA and HHS are in the midst of the multi-year process to develop the next edition of theDietary Guidelines for Americans. At this time, an external Federal Advisory Committee ofscientific experts – the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee – is reviewing the evidence
on scientific questions related to nutrition and health to inform its scientific report that will be
submitted to USDA and HHS later this year.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans is a framework for healthy eating, not a one-size-fits-all
mold everyone must fit into. The U.S. population is diverse, and this is reflected in what and how
we eat. In exploring the flexibility of the USDA Dietary Patterns in the Dietary Guidelines, theCommittee is examining data within and across food groups. For example, in some populationgroups in the United States, vegetables or legumes like beans, peas, or lentils (e.g., corn, beans,taro root) might be emphasized more than breads, pasta, or rice. These analyses are based on
known dietary preferences of certain population groups in the United States, and the intention isto better understand the nutritional impacts of these dietary patterns. Additionally, the National
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) noted in its study reports on theDietary Guidelines development process the importance of advancements that could help yieldinsights on “providing flexibility in food and taste preferences, cultural norms, and otherindividual factors.”

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This analysis will help the Committee more equitably consider the diversity of foodways andrange of population needs, norms, and preferences in the United States. It is part of theCommittee’s work using three approaches to examine the scientific evidence on a broad range oftopics that will inform their advice to HHS and USDA as the Departments develop the next
edition of the Dietary Guidelines.
The Committee’s work is available to the public, as is the Committee’s discussions anddeliberation at its meetings, which are all open to the public. We continue to encourage all who
are interested to stay connected via DietaryGuidelines.gov and participating in our process.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to correct the misunderstanding on this topic. A similar
response has been sent to your colleagues who cosigned the letter of March 26, 2024. If you haveany questions about this response, please have a member of your staff contact the USDA Officeof Congressional Relations at (202) 720-7095.
Sincerely,

THOMAS J. VILSACK
Secretary
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Cc:
Hon. Michael Bennet
Hon. Maria Cantwell
Hon. Kevin Cramer
Hon. Mike Crapo
Hon. Steve Daines
Hon. John Hickenlooper
Hon. John Hoeven
Hon. Angus King
Hon. Jeff Merkley
Hon. Pete Ricketts
Hon. James RischHon. Debbie Stabenow
Hon. Ron Wyden

XAVIER BECERRA
Secretary
U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services