Reference no: EM133381071

Case 

1. What do you make of these contradictory policies within a single federal department: one that encourages the consumption of dairy products and another that urges their consumption in moderation?

2. Do you think it makes a difference that the USDA's role in the Dairy Management association is indirect?

3. If you were the leader of USDA, would you have an obligation to reconcile these competing programs? Or would you view it as an inevitable product of the political battles within American pluralism?

Reading:

Not long ago, Domino's pizza chain was in trouble. Sales were down and even the company's advertisements acknowledged it was not making a very good pizza. But Dairy Management, a nonprofit trade association, came riding to the rescue, with pizza design help and $12 million for a new marketing campaign. The result was a new pizza with 40 percent more cheese, and people loved it. Sales soared and the company began to climb out of the fast-food cellar.

Dairy Management also helped Taco Bell invent a new steak quesadilla, which mixed together pepper jack, mozzarella, and cheddar cheeses, along with a creamy sauce. People loved it, in part because it had eight times more cheese than most other items on the Taco Bell menu.

Dairy Management has become a huge player in the food business.1 Americans eat an average of 33 pounds of cheese each year, and Dairy Management aims to increase that total. With its $140 million annual budget, it has worked with Pizza Hut to develop its Cheesy Bites pizza, with Wendy's on the Double Melt sandwich, and with Burger King on the Angus Bacon cheeseburger. The organization's goal is to convince Americans to eat more cheese-and to expand the market for cheese producers. In 2007, its efforts increased cheese sales of almost 30 million pounds, and cheese producers love it. The association has been tremendously successful in bringing more cheese to restaurant menus and into supermarkets, and it was behind the wildly successful "Got Milk?" campaign.

Dairy farmers contribute to a fund to help promote the consumption of dairy products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) collects the funds and disburses them under a program created by Congress. The program is self-funded, but USDA oversees its operations to ensure the activities are consistent with the law that created the nonprofit corporation designed to encourage dairy production. In addition, USDA regularly reports on its operations to Congress. Is it a governmental organization? No. Is it connected to the federal government? Yes, through the collection and distribution of money and through policy oversight.

In other parts of its operation, USDA is working hard to encourage Americans to make so-called healthier food choices. It's easy to blast past government-recommended levels of saturated fat consumption with a couple of slices of Domino's pizza. USDA's Nutrition.gov program is making an aggressive effort to encourage Americans to reduce their consumption of fatty foods, especially saturated fats. It points out that "a healthy eating plan is one that:

Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.

Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.

Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars."

Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts. Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars."

Cite: Kettl, Donald F.. Politics of the Administrative Process. SAGE Publications. Kindle Edition.