Cattlemen Praise Senators for Stance Against Meatless Mondays

By CnAgri2012-08-07 19:49:36 Print

Last week, after news of an USDA employee newsletter circulated promoting Meatless Monday, cattlemen and legislators from agriculture states were stunned.

The newsletter stated, "One simple way to reduce your environmental impact while dining at our cafeterias is to participate in the "Meatless Monday" initiative. The production of meat, especially beef (and dairy as well), has a large environmental impact. According to the U.N., animal agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gases and climate change. It also wastes resources. In addition there are many health concerns related to the excessive consumption of meat. While a vegetarian diet could have a beneficial impact on a person's health and the environment, many people are not ready to make that commitment. Because Meatless Monday involves only one day a week, it is a small change that could produce big results."

Within a matter of hours, multiple Senators including Senator Moran (R-KS) and Senator Roberts (R-KS) contacted Secretary Vilsack requesting that USDA remove the suggested "Meatless Mondays" from its website and withdraw its promotion of the initiative. In response, USDA did remove the newsletter and a spokeswoman for USDA stated that the newsletter had been posted "without proper clearance" and "USDA does not endorse Meatless Monday."

"Kansas Cattlemen's Association is pleased to hear that USDA does not endorse Meatless Monday and we thank Senator Moran and Senator Roberts for their passion in protecting the interest of cattlemen across the country. U.S. cattle production is very important to the food supply. Consumption of lean beef provides several essential vitamins and minerals that help to prevent chronic disease. Even more, according to the Kansas Beef Council, the nutrients in beef are essential for healthy growth and development, and children who don't eat enough lean beef may be missing out on key nutrients like iron and zinc," stated KCA Executive Director Brandy Carter.

"Kansans know the importance of beef consumption to Kansas and America, not only for the economic impact, but for its health benefits. If anything, we should urge a "More Meat Monday" to consumers to show them how beneficial adding lean beef to their diet will be," concluded KCA Representative Kelsey Gibson.