Sen. Chuck Grassley, D-Ia., speaks at the Farmer's Union summit in Des Moines, Iowa.
/ AP photo
Sen. Chuck Grassley is chewing out the Agriculture Department for promoting "Meatless Mondays" for their employees, and is promising to eat more meat to make up the difference.
""Shame USDA. One has to wonder whether the Dept of Ag supports Iowa farmers since it is promoting 'meatless Monday' for USDA employees," Grassley said Wednesday night on Twitter. "I will eat more meat on Monday to compensate for stupid USDA recommendation abt a meatless Monday."
The Agriculture Department -- which is supposed to promote agricultural products, including meat -- said Wednesday the posting promoting "Meatless Mondays" was made "without proper clearance," according to the Associated Press. As part of an internal agency newsletter, employers were given tips on how to reduce the environmental impact while eating at the department's cafeteria. The department removed the posting after the National Cattleman's Beef Association denounced it in a news release.
The head of the beef association denounced "Meatless Monday" as "an animal rights extremist campaign to ultimately end meat consumption" in a statement on the group's website. After the department made it clear it doesn't support "Meatless Mondays," the beef association thanked them for "swift action in pulling this disparaging statement off its website."
"Meatless Mondays" was started by the School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. The campaign aims to reduce meat consumption 15 percent "to improve your personal health and the health of the planet."
