WASHINGTON – A group of senators are defending the potatoes honor as a vegetable instead of reclassifying it as a grain during the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) process.

Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer are part of the group who sent a letter in late March to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in opposition to any reclassification of potatoes.

“Since the inception of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), it has classified potatoes correctly as a vegetable,” the group of senators wrote. “There is no debate about the physical characteristics of the potato and its horticultural scientific classification. Unlike grains, white potatoes are strong contributors of potassium, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and fiber.”

“Any change to potatoes’ current classification under the DGAs would immediately confuse consumers, retailers, restaurant operators, growers, and the entire supply chain,” the senators continued. “We strongly urge you to avoid reclassifying potatoes as a grain or suggest grains and potatoes are interchangeable.”