Published by Greely Tribune in behalf of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association
Bill Hammerich: Colorado Governor starts food fight with farmers and ranchers
Agriculture is a significant contributor to Colorado’s economy, generating more than $40 billion in economic activity annually and supporting more than 170,000 jobs. Jobs in transportation, retail sales, food sales and restaurants, and tourism are just a few supported by agriculture.
As well as contributing to the state’s economy, agriculture holds a tremendous duty to protect the environment, through stewardship of the land, water and air. Land in farms and ranches provides habitat for wildlife and open space and, above all, producing food.
Beef, frozen and fresh, is by far and away Colorado’s top export, with over $1 billion in exports in 2018 ahead of electronics, medical equipment and aerospace products. So, when the beef industry learned the Governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, made a pitch to the Department of Agriculture leadership that they should research plant-based proteins and delivered 250 Impossible Whoppers to the department staff, you can bet we were astonished.
For the Governor to suggest that Colorado agriculture begin focusing on growing vegetables for plant-based proteins is confusing to the farmers and ranchers who have worked the land in rural Colorado for decades. Not only because Colorado’s arid climate doesn’t allow for growing the extensive list of ingredients in plant-based burgers and alternative proteins, but also because Colorado’s beef industry contributes so much to the state’s economy.
What the Governor should be aware of, is that livestock producers utilize grazing land that is too mountainous, dry or nutrient poor to be farmed and would otherwise go unused. Livestock are able to convert solar energy in plants that’s inaccessible to humans into high quality protein and other products such as leather and pharmaceuticals.
Farmers and ranchers share the same motivation behind the Governor’s call for innovation. Those who are still farming and ranching today, understand all too well the risks of stagnation. The cutting-edge technology used in agriculture provides for our continued success and allows for the transition of the family business to the next generation.
Politicians still tryna to Califonicate Colo. Watch you backs. They said he couldn’t do it to the gas and oil industry too.
Get rid of this governor before he does any more damage to our state. SIGN the recall petition at your earliest convenience.
That is just ridiculous. He must be smoking too much of that stuff that’s legal. These people just don’t know what they are talking about.
Our governor doesn’t understand this state or its rural agricultural base. He doesn’t care either. All true Coloradans need to remember that in future elections. Democrats, aka Marxist-Maoist/Socialists want to destroy our Republic. They have almost finished the job in California. Their next move is here in Colorado. We must stop them dead in their tracks.
The thought of ending the cattle industry in Colorado is INSANE!! What the hell is the matter with that man? Where did he come from? Idiot IMO!
This is the first time I have made a comment about this article- no way gave I posted before!
Give ‘em Hell, Pat!!!
The thought of ending the cattle industry in Colorado is INSANE!! What the hell is the matter with that man? Where did he come from? Idiot IMO!
Romans 14: 2For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Genesis 9:3
King James Bible
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
Another concern I have about these products has to do with glyphosate, the active ingredient in the pesticide Roundup, which is used on soy and pea protein, ingredients in the fake burgers. The Detox Project, a research organization that tests foods for glyphosate, reports finding high levels in organic pea protein than in conventional versions.
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/wjqbem/judge-convicts-parents-after-baby-dies-from-vegan-diet
What’s the old adage: you are what you eat
The governor is a vegetable
Which will probably rot with time and should be canned, NOW !
The Whole Foods CEO: ” The plant derived protien artificial meats are good for the environment, but they are Bad for Your Health.”
The Colo. Gov is talking plant / market Research.
Changing foods grown Over Time is easier said than done.
Foods are grown that suit their local environment.
Colo. BTW, grows piles and piles of vegetables.
Back in the Sugar Beer days Colo. Was a world leader in beets.
Beet Pulp is likely the feed that enabled Colo to be a world cattle feeder.
ALL Politicians, especially those IN OFFICE, are greedy. They are “allowed” to get into office because they have been COMPROMISED & BRIBED, or EXTORTED to do the bidding of their “OWNERS”.
Nail squarely hit on the head! All politicians are “bought and paid for the day they hit the door!
I disagree. I have talked to a lot of politicians on a personal level. All politicians are interested in only one thing…voters. The are not “allowed” to get into office, they are voted into office.
Without voters they cannot be elected into office…and if not in office they are nothing. Certainly, they take contributions from donors, and donors have an interest they want to protect, but politicians are wise enough not to loose their voter base. So the question is who tells the politicians what their interests are? Donors and activist. People who do not write their representatives are NOT likely to vote…so they are irrelevant. Hence the politician will support the issues that will satisfy the donors and NOT alienate the voter base. Horse slaughter is a great example. People who own livestock know it is the correct answer to the horse overpopulation problem, the BLM supports the concept. But politicians will not touch the issue because 70% of Americans are against it and they are vocal about it. Political staff count emails and phone calls “for” and “against” an issue and supply that raw data to the politician. That is a major influence to the politician. Hopefully it marries well with the donors desires.