Michigan's Governor Jennifer Granholm is, by all accounts, not the greatest Governor in the state's history. Presiding over one of the worst economic periods to face the state, Granholm has celebrated far fewer victories than she's endured setbacks. This week, however, she took aim at one of the state's most significant economic drivers: agriculture. Siding with radical animal rights activists, the Governor proclaimed Saturday a meatless day. To quote The Detroit News, the Michigan Farm Bureau is having a cow.
From the News' story:
Wayne Wood, president of the Farm Bureau, in a tersely worded statement, called the governor's proclamation for Michigan Meatout Day "unconscionable" and "an insensitive slap in the face to Michigan's livestock and dairy farmers, not to mention Michigan's meat-eating residents."
Liz Boyd, Granholm's press secretary, countered that "people may be taking this too seriously."
Like several of my "social media celebrity" friends, I took the opportunity to share my thoughts with the Governor via her Facebook page:
Madam Governor, you may not be aware, but declaring the day the rest of the country celebrates National Agriculture Day as "Michigan Meatout Day," you are intentionally harming your state's 2nd largest industry, contributing over $37billion to the state's economy.
In 2001, there were 52,000 farms in Michigan. Michigan employs more than 500,000 people in production Ag and food processing. In the current economic state, Madam Governor, you can't afford to willfully injure this industry and community.
There are 980,000 cattle including beef cows, calves and milk cows, 950,000 sheep and lambs and 6,305,000 hens and pullets of laying age in Michigan. In 2001, Michigan dairy cattle produced 5.7 billion pounds of milk. Cattle and hog production are two of the top 5 agricultural products in the state.
Meat is and important part of a healthy diet, and meat production is an important part of Michigan's economy. Do the right thing, Madam Governor, abandon the "Meatout" campaign and enjoy a thick juicy steak on National Ag Day instead.
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