Vice President Kamala Harris is facing fresh criticism for her support of controversial proposals to change America’s “food pyramid” to discourage the consumption of red meat.
Former President Donald Trump leveled new criticisms at his Democrat contender during a July 24 campaign speech in Charlotte, claiming that Harris “even wants to pass laws to outlaw red meat to stop climate change.”
Harris was further criticized by Republican Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona, who argued that Harris’ views on changing official dietary guidelines were an “unprecedented overreach” and a “disgraceful affront to our founding principles.”
So, does she really want to ban red meat? Yes and no. Harris has explicitly denied that she intends to ban the sale and consumption of red meat, but that doesn’t mean her decision – and the rhetoric she supports – won’t impact the industry in a way that incentivizes the ongoing push toward greater consumption of plant-based proteins.
When asked in 2019 during a climate change forum on CNN, Harris said that she couldn’t envision life without red meat because she loves cheeseburgers too much.
“Just to be very honest with you: I love cheeseburgers from time to time. Right? I mean, I just do,” Harris told CNN, adding that there should be “incentives” to eat meat in a “healthy way” that will “encourage moderation” and change America’s eating habits.
It’s not an explicit promise to ban red meat, but voters could very well see it as an assault on consumer choice. Such a move could also dramatically impact the agriculture economy in many states, potentially leading to further regulation down the line.
The Arizona Beef Council, for example, reports that the state of Arizona is home to 19,000 ranches and farms that produce $6.73 million in sales of meat products. Grazing land in the state also makes up 73% of the entire state’s land area and roughly 98% of the state’s agricultural land.
As it stands, plant-based proteins are an increasingly popular choice among consumers, with supermarkets across the country stocking a substantially larger range of plant-based cheeses, meat alternatives, and pre-packaged food products than ever before. In 2022, the U.S. plant-based meat market was valued at roughly $1.5 billion. That figure is expected to grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5% through 2032.
Former President Donald Trump leveled new criticisms at his Democrat contender during a July 24 campaign speech in Charlotte, claiming that Harris “even wants to pass laws to outlaw red meat to stop climate change.”
Harris was further criticized by Republican Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona, who argued that Harris’ views on changing official dietary guidelines were an “unprecedented overreach” and a “disgraceful affront to our founding principles.”
So, does she really want to ban red meat? Yes and no. Harris has explicitly denied that she intends to ban the sale and consumption of red meat, but that doesn’t mean her decision – and the rhetoric she supports – won’t impact the industry in a way that incentivizes the ongoing push toward greater consumption of plant-based proteins.
When asked in 2019 during a climate change forum on CNN, Harris said that she couldn’t envision life without red meat because she loves cheeseburgers too much.
“Just to be very honest with you: I love cheeseburgers from time to time. Right? I mean, I just do,” Harris told CNN, adding that there should be “incentives” to eat meat in a “healthy way” that will “encourage moderation” and change America’s eating habits.
It’s not an explicit promise to ban red meat, but voters could very well see it as an assault on consumer choice. Such a move could also dramatically impact the agriculture economy in many states, potentially leading to further regulation down the line.
The Arizona Beef Council, for example, reports that the state of Arizona is home to 19,000 ranches and farms that produce $6.73 million in sales of meat products. Grazing land in the state also makes up 73% of the entire state’s land area and roughly 98% of the state’s agricultural land.
As it stands, plant-based proteins are an increasingly popular choice among consumers, with supermarkets across the country stocking a substantially larger range of plant-based cheeses, meat alternatives, and pre-packaged food products than ever before. In 2022, the U.S. plant-based meat market was valued at roughly $1.5 billion. That figure is expected to grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5% through 2032.
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