"The grain industry fully endorses the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee's decision to 'bring forward' the recommendation of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines that called for half of all grain intake to come from whole grains," said Katie Maher, USA Rice's manager of domestic promotion. "But we also emphasized the importance of using the term 'enriched grains' in the guidelines when referring to refined grains, since more than 95% of the refined grains in the U.S. are enriched and fortified."

Maher added that throughout the Committee's report, emphasis is placed on targeted reduction of 'refined grains' so it is important to provide clear guidance to consumers regarding the differences between grain foods that are staples, and grain foods that are indulgences rather than lumping them all together in one category as 'refined grains.'

Additionally, USA Rice joined other grain groups as supporters of Rep. Peter Roskam's (IL-06) letter to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services urging the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans address inconsistencies within the report-specifically with regard to enriched grains and their value in the American diet-by including specific and unambiguous language in the final recommendations distinguishing the difference between refined and enriched grains. Sixty Members of Congress have signed onto the letter as well.