Legislation has been introduced in the House and Senate that would force the Dietary Guidelines Committee to follow sound science with their upcoming recommendations. If not, lawmakers will cut funding in the appropriations bill for Health and Human Services, one of the agencies that oversees the dietary rules. South Dakota Cattlemen’s President Todd Wilkinson says they were unhappy the initial guidelines left out lean meat as part of a healthy diet, and its sad Congress had to go to those lengths to get the committee to do their job.

Wilkinson says his organization is part of a large coalition of groups that asked federal lawmakers to introduce the measure as part of the FY 2016 appropriations legislation.

Wilkinson says dietary committee never should have strayed from sound science when they put together their recommendations.

Late last week the Senate appropriations committee also sent on legislation requiring Health and Human Services to follow sound science with any dietary guidelines going forward.