The new Canada Food Guide is upsetting the country’s beef and dairy producers.
Earlier this week, Health Canada introduced a radically different food guide that encourages plant-based diets over traditional meat and dairy products. Previously, meat enjoyed a dominant position in the national food guide, with a recommended two to three servings daily for adults. The new food guide features plant-based protein over traditional meat products, and encourages people to eat fewer servings of beef.
The new Canada Food Guide also minimizes dairy consumption. It now recommends water — not milk — as the "drink of choice" for Canadians, and eliminates the previous milk-and-alternatives food group completely from the guide. The only dairy product being recommended by the new food guide is yogurt.
Even fruits get short shrift in the food guide, with a recommendation that people "replace juice with water."
The changes have prompted strong reaction from beef and dairy producers across the country. The Dairy Farmers of P.E.I. issued a statement after the new food guide was released saying its members are "very concerned" with the changes made to the food guide, and said they plan to bring their concerns about the new guide to federal and provincial politicians.
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, which represents beef producers throughout Canada, said it plans to launch a national campaign to make people aware that "not all protein foods are identical.
"The amount of plant protein you would need to consume to have even one serving of lean beef is considerable," said the Cattleman’s Association. "Meats, and lean beef specifically, are a good bang for your buck in terms of calories, taste and nutrient value."
The federal government is sticking by the new Canada Food Guide and its recommendations regardless of any financial impact it has on traditional agriculture industries such as beef and dairy.
In its news release announcing the new food guide, Health Canada said diets higher in vegetables and fruits can be linked to lower risks of cardiovascular disease. In addition, Health Canada recommends eating more nuts and soy protein, which can help improve blood fat levels, while warning that eating processed meat is linked to higher risks of certain types of cancer.
