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NCBA okay with USDA’s ‘Meatless’ response, but still concerned

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) was quick to react Wednesday when it learned of a USDA web site posting promoting “Meatless Monday” to USDA employees.  NCBA issued a news release that was highly critical of the agency for promoting the animal rights/vegan campaign.

Later in the day Wednesday, the USDA press office announced that the item had been removed from the web site, that it had been posted without “proper clearance”, and that USDA does not support “Meatless Monday”.

In an interview at the Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Denver, NCBA vice-president of government affairs Colin Woodall tells Brownfield that Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack called NCBA president J.D. Alexander to discuss the “Meatless Monday” fiasco.   Woodall says NCBA is pleased that Vilsack acted quickly to correct the mistake.

But Woodall says it also indicative of the bigger challenge facing the livestock industry, as anti-meat forces continue to have success in spreading their message to consumers.

 AUDIO: Colin Woodall (3:11 MP3)