Fourteen senators are urging the departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue classifying the potato as a vegetable. amid reports that a joint advisory committee is considering “the interchangeability of starchy vegetables and grains.”
In a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the senators on Tuesday made the case that the potato is a vegetable, not a grain, pointing to its nutritional benefits, physical characteristics, and horticultural scientific classification.
“The scientific reasoning for claiming that potatoes are not vegetables is weak, and there are proven health benefits of potatoes. Therefore, we strongly oppose any change to classify potatoes as grains under the DGAs,” the senators wrote.
The letter comes amid reports that the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is “considering changes to food groups,” including “the interchangeability of starchy vegetables and grains,” according to testimony from the National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles.
The advisory committee is responsible for providing independent, science-based recommendations to the USDA and HHS secretaries to aid in developing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). The DGA is updated every five years and affects federal nutritional and food policy.
A spokesperson for USDA stated that the advisory committee “is not considering a change to the classification of potatoes,” emphasizing that “it is not within the Committee’s purview to make such a change.”
Nevertheless, the reports have raised concerns for many in the potato industry, which could suffer an economic blow if such a reclassification occurs.
In arguing for keeping potatoes classified as vegetables, the senators highlighted the practical impacts of such a reclassification on food programs and supply chains, stating that a change “would immediately confuse consumers, retailers, restaurant operators, growers, and the entire supply chain.”
They also mentioned the effect on federal nutrition programs and school food initiatives.
This isn't the first time that the classification of vegetables and nutrition standards for school meals have faced scrutiny. In 2011, when the USDA suggested limiting starchy vegetable servings to two a week, the potato industry pushed back, with support from senators in potato-growing states. The Senate passed a measure to prevent the USDA from imposing restrictions.
Similarly, that year, the USDA proposal excluded tomato paste on pizza from the weekly vegetable consumption limits, but the Senate opposed it and passed a measure to block the proposal.
The letter on Tuesday was sent by a bipartisan group, including both senators from Colorado, Idaho, Maine, North Dakota and Oregon, along with Sens. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).
The Hill has reached out to HHS for a response.
