Here at In Defense of Animals, we recognize that adopting a vegan diet is essential to the health and future of the planet. We’re happy to be one of the many organizations supporting One Green Planet’s #EatForThePlanet campaign. You can check out the website here.

Also, we’d like to remind you that a few weeks ago we emailed and posted a Take Action Alert on one of the most important developments in recent years. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC), the nation’s top nutrition advisory panel, is considering including the recommendation that the environmental impact of our food choices be factored into dietary choices in its 2015 updated guidelines (think of the food pyramid). The committee has already published a preprint of that report, available here.

The impact of such a recommendation if it were to become law would be enormous. As the Washington Post recently reported, “Reducing the recommended amount of meat consumption would reduce, among other things, the amount of meat the industry provides as part of the school lunch program. Overnight, the diets of millions of Americans would have less meat.” However, even if Big Ag should prevent this recommendation from officially becoming policy, the symbolic impact of the recommendation would be unprecedented.

Anyone who has read a newspaper recently knows the devastating impact the livestock and dairy industries are having on our planet, and so it is crystal clear this new recommendation, even in preprint form, is already a disaster for both industries. Unsurprisingly, the steps already taken by the DGAC have put them in the firing line of Big Ag, their lobbyists, and their political puppets in Congress. We extend the highest commendation and gratitude to the DGAC for their bravery and integrity. This heroism will not soon be forgotten.

Our post a few weeks back was a call to submit written responses the DGAC’s website. That comment period has now ended, but in what can optimistically be interpreted as good news, the DGAC has extended that comment period again to May 8th. Without doubt, they are receiving intense pressure for both those who would like to protect the environment, and those who would like to profit off its exploitation.

Please join us in voicing your support for the proposed 2015 Dietary Guidelines by signing our alert if you have not already done so.