An internal USDA Greening Update newsletter that promotes “Meatless Mondays” caused a bit of an uproar on Wednesday.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) sent out a news release linking to the newsletter and questioning USDA’s commitment to the livestock industry. The newsletter talked about various “greening” initiatives by the agency and suggested that “one simple way to reduce our environmental impact while dining at our cafeteria is to participate in the “Meatless Monday” initiative.” But it didn’t stop there:
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. It takes 7,000 kg of grain to make 1,000 kg of beef. In addition, beef production requires a lot of water, fertilizer, fossil fuels, and pesticides. In addition there are many health concerns related to the excessive consumption of meat.
Within an hour after the NCBA release went out, USDA pulled the newsletter from the initial link and a statement was sent out by USDA press secretary Courtney Rowe. “Today, we have received a number of inquiries regarding a rumor that USDA is encouraging “Meatless Mondays,” she wrote, adding a statement from an unnamed USDA spokesperson that “USDA does not endorse Meatless Monday. The statement found on the USDA website was posted without proper clearance and it has been removed.”
The offending document was found on another link, and you can read the whole thing here where we uploaded it to our server. Just deleting the document from the link does not address this issue at all, since this is an internal newsletter that was sent to USDA employees. That makes this more than a “rumor.” While the Secretary may have been unaware of this gaffe and it may not be “official” USDA policy, the message has been sent to USDA employees that meat is bad for the environment. Not only does this have to be pulled, action should be taken against whoever wrote it and an immediate retraction should be made in a new “Greening Update.”
This is animal activism in a government agency that should be supporting all of agriculture and it is unacceptable.
Good for the NCBA for calling the USDA on this major gaffe. The AR activist organizations have infiltrated government agencies, in particular those involved in animal issues (e.g., USDA/APHIS–Sarah Conant, ex-H$U$ litigation attorney, is high in APHIS enforcement). It is necessary for ALL animal industries (livestock and pet) to join together to neutralize the influence of the H$U$, ALDF, A$PCA, and other AR-philosophy-based organizations. The Animal Agriculture Alliance has already taken USDA/APHIS to task on the proposed rule to the AWA in regards to “pets”, as this rule would devastate *most breeders* who sell animals as “pets”–not just dogs, cats, etc., but also livestock sold as pets, e.g., rabbits, goats, pigs, miniature horses, etc. Having to be under the USDA/APHIS licensure, inspection, and commercial facility requirements is not desirable. Commercial kennels can do it because their business models factor in the costs of the licensure and specific types of required kenneling, but small to medium animal breeders cannot and should not have to deal with USDA inspectors who are instructed to “find something noncompliant” nor to have to worry about AR activists harassing them and setting them up for complaints (bringing APHIS down on them assessing large fines–see Dollarhite Rabbitry case). ALL animal owners need to be aware of how far the animal rights movement has gotten in the past decade in particular, with H$U$’s Wayne Pacelle being particularly aggressive in attacks on animal industries.
Yes to animal equality!
Not only is it acceptable, it is a glorious “gaffe.” Meatless Mondays ARE a “simple way to reduce your environmental impact,” and the sooner the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) AND the USDA acknowledge the fact, the better off we’ll all be. Join the Movement! PLEDGE to go meatless this Monday and every Monday (or, better yet, every Monday AND every day in between). Join the growing number of individuals, families, and institutions pledging to improve their health and the health of our planet.
http://www.meatlessmonday.com/
“This is animal activism in a government agency that should be supporting all of agriculture and it is unacceptable.” Really? I would think rather “This is responsible and honest information that everyone, even those that support the eating of meat, should be aware of.” Absolutely NOTHING in that newsletter article about Meatless Mondays was false information. In fact, I’d wager to guess that article is the MOST truth the USDA has let out in a long, long, LONG time. The fact that the beef industry caused them to pull it shows just who has who by the cojones.
Meat eaters are more likely to die of cancer than non-meat eaters. Meat eaters are more prone to strokes, heart attacks, blood clots, brain aneurisms and the list goes on. And the meat industry is a HUGE contributor to the pollution and greenhouse affects we are suffering world-wide. Their carbon foot print would put Paul Bunyan’s boot print to shame! The last time I looked out my front door I was not in Oz but still in the USA and that means Freedom Of Speech still rings loud and clear … even if you don’t like the tune the bell is ringing. It is tripe like this (pun intended) that helps animal activists. The truth WILL be known and it WILL set those free that WANT to be free.
(Really, go home now. Your article just makes you look foolish … ah, more foolish.)
What they said was true, Meatless Mondays are a great way for companies to reduce their environmental impact. I think it’s sad that people are choosing to ignore that fact because they are worried about their profit margins.
Heaven forbid our government NOT be run by industries. Keep giving Americans heart disease NCBA.
Thanks to Secy Vilsack for making this right. Do your back flip, jbdean. That will make you look more foolish.
I never eat meat. Meatless every day and healthier for it!
I LOVE Meatless Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays! I ate dead animals for 28-years; when I learned how cruel and destructive the meat industry is, I stopped doing so. I like America’s farmers; the ones who produce healthy and humane grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc!
Did anyone see all those delicious recipes on the Meatless Monday site??? Gosh that a plethora of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans and grains!!! How does this conflict with supporting American agriculture?
The science explaining how damaging animal agriculture is to the environment is there.
Nothing to do with Animal Activism, or agendas… this is the true, unbiased scientific truth of the matter.
It’s a shame that people feel their livelihoods are at stake, or the feel threatened by the growing awareness of the horrors of the industry… but to claim that it is false, or that it’s a result of some agenda, is just sad and petty.
You can’t hide the truth forever.
As Pilate said to Jesus – “What is Truth?” When it comes to determining the environmental impact of anything, there are no true, unbiased scientific facts. It is all based on modeling, which varies within the scientific community. People have been producing livestock for food on this planet for thousands of years and will continue to do so because most humans like to eat meat. That is the truth.
No… Sorry, it is not flesh they crave – Or else every time we were in our cars and saw road kill – We’d slam our breaks and begin feasting. Humans have no desire for “blood, bone or tissue”. In fact, most people are repulsed by the sight of it…
What humans crave is the taste of salt and fat and the experience of chewing certain textures. None of this is gotten exclusively from animal flesh. There’s a plethora of other healthier choices that can easily satisfy all those physiological and psychological desires. It’s just a matter of educating the public of these options – Which is why “meatless” information was so loudly contested. Ignorance is essential to continue the exploits and deceptions of the animal industries…
Bea – just wondering where you get that information because I doubt if it is scientific fact. Most of us don’t eat raw meat. But our bodies do crave protein, which meat has in abundance.
Hi Cindy – I get my information about the meat industry’s desire for silence by observation. Over the past 5 years I’ve seen a pattern of attempts to hide things from public knowledge and scrutiny. Everything from the ag-gag bills to suppression of nutritional information…
I get my nutritional information from research on the web and in books authored by qualified dieticians. I hear you when you say our bodies crave protein… I’m not disputing that. What I’m saying is there are plenty of plant based foods that satisfy that nutritional need and physical desire too… If you look at the USDA’s recommendation of a “healthy plate”, you’ll see that protein is indicated with a purple color – It includes “beans” as a source.
You’ll also see that this purple section is smaller than the rest… Still, Americans consume almost double the amount of (animal) protein they need which leads to many health issues – that I’m sure you’re aware of.
I am, along with a growing number of people are very happy with our choice of a plant-strong diet. I assure you if there was a problem with eschewing animal flesh NASA would not be building the whole Mars mission around vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and seeds. It really IS the best food for you!
I meant where do you get that humans have “no desire for “blood, bone or tissue” and just crave “the taste of salt and fat and the experience of chewing certain textures”? Is this a documented scientific fact?
Sure, humans need and crave protein (far less of it than we’ve been lead by the USDA and NCBA to believe, actually.) As for the BEST sources of protein, we’ve them in lentils, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and veggies–all are nutritionally far superior food products to animal flesh, eggs, and fatty milk derivatives–we don’t need to exploit animals in any way. The sooner people just say NO (become vegan), the better off we’ll all be.
Love all the vegan comments. I don’t care what you eat but you sure feel like you have to force your agenda on everyone else. It’s must be easier denying the truth about how healthy a diet with animal protein is than accepting it and letting people decide for themselves. Glad our Secretary of Ag issued a personal apology to American’s cattlemen and women which was just read here at the Cattle Industry Summer Conference.
I would love to lock you in a cage, then hit you in the head with a hammer, then put you on the barbeque. sound fun? bozo.
Since when are nonviolence, compassion, freedom, and justice for ALL an “agenda”?
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Thanks for the update Cindy! Your comments are spot on. AgWired always does a great job.
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