Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 6/17/16

The Fiscal 2017 Defense Appropriations bill the U.S. House of Representatives passed on Thursday includes language that would ban the "Meatless Monday" campaign from military cafeterias.

"I am not willing to allow activist groups to tell members of our military, who risk their lives to keep us safe, they cannot enjoy a hamburger or steak on certain days of the week simply to advance an agenda against animal agriculture," said Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.), who offered the language in the bill. "Meat contains vitamins and nutrients not readily available in a plant-based diet. My amendment is not a mandate or a prohibition — it simply ensures there is a meat option available to our troops each day." 

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association sent a letter of support to the Capitol Hill stressing that military personal should not be subjected to political agendas.

"Meatless Monday is not a program based off of nutrition or sound science. It is an anti-meat, anti-animal agriculture, and anti-farmer policy agenda disguised as science,” the NCBA letter stated.

"The 2015 Dietary Guidelines clearly show that beef is an important part of our diet. That is especially so for our servicemen and women given the active lifestyle they live while protecting our country. We believe that U.S. military personnel have the right to eat what they want, and what is best for their bodies in the execution of their jobs. This is exactly what Rep. Smith's amendment will do," the letter noted.

Meatless Monday is an old concept that was revived in 2003 by The Monday Campaigns, founded by Sid Lerner in association with Johns Hopkins University. The campaign now has programs in 23 countries and participation from thousands of restaurants, schools, worksites and communities. The Humane Society of the United States actively promotes the campaign.

It may be awhile before this legislation becomes law. One Washington insider told Meatinplace it is likely that the provisions of all the various appropriations bills will be rolled into a single omnibus bill at the end of the fiscal year.

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