Ag Secretary Hints at a Boost to Beef in Upcoming Dietary Guidelines

But Rollins’ comments Thursday suggest what many in the consumer health space have feared: that the administration plans to switch directions and promote more saturated-fat consumption through the guidelines.

It’s yet to be seen whether the guidelines will also recommend beef tallow over seed oils. On Thursday, also at the Ag Outlook Forum, one vocal MAHA supporter, Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), broke with Kennedy on the issue. He said he wants to see more independent, reproducible science on seed oils but did not think the ingredient itself was an issue.

“As far as I know, there’s nothing unhealthy about seed oils,” Marshall said.. “I don’t think it’s the seed oil [that] is the problem with the ultra-processed food. I think it’s the salt and the sugar, the preservatives in them, that’s the real problem.”

While initially both secretaries suggested the Dietary Guidelines would be released by the end of the summer, that deadline has been pushed back, with Rollins now saying the guidelines are coming “very shortly.” The statutory deadline is the end of 2025.

On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced that former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson would join the USDA as a nutrition, healthcare, and housing advisor. His focus will be implementing the MAHA agenda at the agency, according to the USDA. Carson has backed some MAHA policies like phasing out synthetic dyes as well as state waivers restricting using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for soda.