Winter Weather Forecast for Cold and NCBA on Dietary Guidelines

**Following a frigid start to December in the eastern U.S. AccuWeather long-range forecaster Paul Pastelok is calling for waves of colder air throughout the winter.

December kicked off with an arctic blast in the eastern U.S., leaving much of the West mild and dry, but that pattern appears to be flipping.

Pastelok says he’s favoring heavier rain and snow in the Pacific Northwest and occasionally in Northern California.

**The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is reiterating the important role of beef in a healthy diet while responding to questionable advice published in the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s latest report.

The committee is advising USDA and HHS that federal nutrition guidelines should include a reduction in red meat.

NCBA President Mark Eisele says the committee ignores scientific evidence about beef’s essential nutrients and the foundational role it plays as a preferred protein in healthy diets.

**The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced the start of its National Milk Testing Strategy to address H5N1 infections in dairy herds.

The new Federal Order requires sharing raw milk samples upon request from any entity responsible for a dairy farm.

It also requires owners with positive cattle to provide information that enables contact tracing.

Finally, it requires the reporting of positive tests to USDA.