The truth about JAY-Z & Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s vegan diet recommendation<\/p>\n
BEEF MAGAZINE<\/p>\n
Emerging trends from plant-based companies, celebrities and activists are putting greater pressures on the animal agricultural industry.<\/p>\n
Amanda Radke\u00a0|\u00a0Jan 04, 2019<\/p>\n
Not to sound alarmist to the meat-loving crowd, but many are predicting that 2019 will be the \u201cYear of the Vegan.\u201d<\/p>\n
In fact, John Parker for The Economist claims that one in four Americans in the ages between 25 and 34 years old consider themselves to be vegans.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s more, Davide Banis for Forbes claims that \u201cending animal farming, or substantially reducing it, would indeed bring huge benefits to the planet, our health and the lives of the 56 billion animals slaughtered every year for meat consumption.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course, the industry is contending with emerging alternative proteins such as cell cultured proteins and plant-based protein patties.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s a new company from the Netherlands called The Vegetarian Butcher, which aims to become the \u201clargest\u00a0butcher in the world\u201d while making plant-based meats \u201cthe standard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yes, really.<\/p>\n
On top of all this, you have some of the biggest celebrities on the planet endorsing a vegan diet. Most recently, JAY-Z & Beyonc\u00e9 have challenged their fans to join in their vegan journey in 2019.<\/p>\n
The musical powerhouse couple wrote an introduction for Marco Borges’ (Beyonc\u00e9’s personal trainer) new book, \u201cThe Greenprint: Plant-Based Diet, Best Body, Better World.\u201d<\/p>\n
The duo says, \u201cHaving children has changed our lives more than anything else. We used to think of health as a diet\u2014some worked for us, some didn\u2019t. Once we looked at\u00a0health as the truth, instead of a diet, it became a mission for us to share that truth and lifestyle with as many people as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
They add, \u201cWe all have a responsibility to stand up for our health and the health of the planet. Let\u2019s take this stand together. Let\u2019s spread the truth. Let\u2019s make this mission a movement. Let\u2019s become ‘the Greenprint.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Are you nauseous yet? I must admit I am.<\/p>\n
To be clear, it\u2019s not that I care if people abstain from eating animal fats and proteins.<\/p>\n
Quite frankly, it\u2019s none of my business.<\/p>\n
Well, actually as a beef producer, I guess it is my business to sell beef, and I have no qualms about my bias when I\u2019m promoting the nutritional, environmental and ethical benefits of eating beef.<\/p>\n
When Beyonc\u00e9 and JAY-Z talk about veganism as \u201ctruth,\u201d like it\u2019s some sort of religion, cult or the \u201conly\u201d way we should be eating, that\u2019s when warning bells start to ring in my head.<\/p>\n
This \u201ctruth\u201d ignores an overwhelming amount of science to the contrary. In fact, no society in the history of our planet has proven that a vegan diet is healthy or sustainable for the long term and from generation to generation.<\/p>\n
However, it\u2019s important to note that many civilizations in our history \u2014 Inuit and North American natives come to mind \u2014 who have thrived largely on meat-based diets. Think seal blubber and whales in the Arctic and bison and other wild game on the Northern Plains.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s more, I worry that if plant-based becomes \u201cthe truth\u201d or \u201cthe standard,\u201d our freedom of choice will be taken away. Sin taxes will be slapped on beef. The government\u2019s nutritional guidelines will reflect plant-based recommendations. Regulations will burden producers until it\u2019s no longer feasible to operate. Consumers will place great burdens on companies to move to\u00a0plant-based menus. The list goes on and on\u2026<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t mean to sound doom and gloom, but I write this to wake us all up. We\u2019ve got a real challenge headed our way, and the threat to our way of life and our freedom of choice is tangible and growing larger each day.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been writing about consumer trends on this blog for 10-plus years now, and never before have I seen the movement as strong as I\u2019ve seen it at this point.<\/p>\n
However, the one thing that reassures me that\u00a0beef cattle producers\u00a0will still be relevant in the years to come is this \u2014 Americans consumed record amounts of meat in \u2014a whopping 218 pounds per capita, according to the National Chicken Council. Of that, 57 pounds was beef.<\/p>\n
Beef demand is stronger than ever. Our export markets are incredible. People love our product and are willing to pay for it. It tastes great, and despite the abundance of misinformation out there, it\u2019s good for us and good for the planet, too.<\/p>\n
If this issue isn\u2019t on your radar in 2019, you better peak out from underneath the rock you\u2019re hiding under. It\u2019s never been more important than right now to share the positive word about\u00a0beef with our consumers. Let\u2019s get to work, everybody. Only collectively can we make a difference!<\/p>\n
The opinions of Amanda Radke are not necessarily those of beefmagazine.com or Farm Progress.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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