By Bella McAtee
OMAHA Neb. – The updated dietary guidelines for U.S. citizens shifted the focus on eating “real food” and boosted locally farmed businesses. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released the guidelines on Jan. 7, and they will remain until 2030.
The new food pyramid is “the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in decades,” according to HHS. At the press conference following the release, Kennedy said America is ending its “war on saturated fats” with the change.
A Kunekune pig from Long Walk Farm poses for the camera.
The guidelines focus on eating real foods and forgoing processed options. As a leading agricultural state, Nebraska is home to plenty of locally grown foods. Take Root Farm Stop in Dundee is a grocery store which opened in December to only sell food made or grown by locals. Carla Gornall, one of Take Root’s three founders, said families love the store’s seasonally changing produce and goods.
Over-wintered kale at Long Walk Farm.
“A lot of people come in with their kids. And the kids are, you know; they look around, and I think they’re interested in learning what it is. And, you know, they’re picking up different produce [and asking] ‘how does this grow,’” Gornall said. She thinks that over time we can make the change to eat real foods as a society slowly.
The new food pyramid for 2025-2030 released by the Department of Health and Human Services.
While Take Root serves the community they are driven by the farmers and producers that sell their products to the store on consignment. Long Walk Farm in Council Bluffs, Iowa, owned by Matt Johnson and Tiffany Clifton, have sold produce to Take Root as well as numerous scratch kitchen restaurants in the metro. Johnson said the new guidelines could be a “huge win” for farmers if they can inspire people to shop locally year-round outside of farmers market season.
Carla Gornall, owner of Take Root Farm Stop, poses in the produce section.
However, Johnson pointed out the recent punches the agriculture community has taken. “It’s still very much a reality that local farms, smaller farms are going out of business because people are not seeking [local foods] out,” Johnson said. “Last year, the administration cut funds for School From Foods and local food purchasing. That caused harm to a lot of producers that were producing foods on scale that would go to schools and go to pantries and food banks.”
Matt Johnson poses on his farm outside the duck and pigpen.
The hope is that the new food pyramid will renew the focus on real foods in schools from the government and create a sustainable food market for farmers to get Nebraska-grown foods on Omaha tables.
