A marketing arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has vigorously promoted high-fat dairy products such as cheese, even as the agency campaigns against obesity by encouraging Americans to limit consumption of the same foods, The New York Times reports.
The marketing organization, Dairy Management, Inc., is working to increase the amount of cheese and other dairy products in the U.S. diet. Since 1970, cheese consumption by Americans has nearly tripled to an average of 33 pounds per person. Cheese is a major contributor to the high content of saturated fat in the American diet, according to data from the USDA.
Under confidential agreements approved by agriculture secretaries in the Bush and Obama administrations, Dairy Management has worked with restaurants to expand their menus with cheese-laden products. The Times cites the case of the Taco Bell steak quesadilla, with cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella and a creamy sauce:
“The item used an average of eight times more cheese than other items on their menu,” the Agriculture Department said in a report, extolling Dairy Management’s work — without mentioning that the quesadilla has more than three-quarters of the daily recommended level of saturated fat and sodium.
Dairy Management is also behind the “Got Milk?” campaign, which has helped slow the decline in milk consumption.
Most of Dairy Management’s annual budget–$140 million–comes from a government-mandated fee on the dairy industry, but it also receives several million dollars from the USDA. The agency also appoints some Dairy Management board members, approves marketing campaigns and contracts, and reports to Congress on its work.
A review of Dairy Management’s activities shows the conflicts in the USDA’s dual role of nutrition police and booster of agricultural products, The Times reports.
USDA officials told The Times that dairy promotion is meant to help farmers and rural economies, and that Diary Management had “significant independence” to do it.
CHEESE DOES NOT CAUSE OBESITY: The drug makers and diabetes drug makers take in 10 billion$$$$ every year with no cure!!
Food Chemicals are the cause of the diabetes and obesity crisis NOT cheese!
The FDA and Drug makers know this and are laughing to the Billionaire$$$ bank!
The food chemicals break the gut(insulin) and this is the cause of the diabetes and obesity crisis
A filmmaker has been reversing diabetes and Obesity in now 10 countries and the drug makers do not promote the story
just google SPIRIT HAPPY DIET
I don’t know that there is anything that is more cruel than the dairy industry… What does it take to have milk and cheese? The cows must be artificially inseminated – Often a painful procedure done with clumsy, inexperienced “farm hands”. Then after 9 months- Once the calf is born it is taken from the mother within a day or less. Many newborn calves go straight to slaughter as “bob veal”. The other males are sent to isolated confinement to become “rose veal” at 4 months old. Of course the mother too, after a short miserable life gets sent to become “hamburger”. All this – So unweaned humans can steal the milk from babies… With so many healthier plant based options for “cheeze” I just don’t understand how anyone can approve of this inhumane practice to such gentle, innocent beings. Try vegan. It’s not that hard and it’s definitely the right thing to do! :)