Pueblo commissioners have beef with governor, establish Cattlemen’s Day

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Commissioners in Pueblo County are pushing back against Colorado Gov. Jared Polis for his call to "boycott" meat products on March 20.

The Board of Pueblo County Commissioners on Tuesday took issue with Polis' "Meat Out Day" and declared that March 20, 2021 would be "Pueblo County Cattlemen's Day" instead.

Polis announced the "Meat Out Day" in late February as a way to promote meat-free diets. Since then, numerous counties have publicly decried the move. The Colorado Cattlemen's Association declared that they would observe "Meat In Day" on March 20, and Weld County commissioners encouraged residents to consume meat products on that day.

"I think a lot of proclamations are to include something for the day, and this was excluding something," said Erin Karney, industry advancement director for the Colorado Cattlemen's Association. "And so I think that’s where farmers and ranchers throughout the state felt a real gut punch."

The Pueblo County commissioners point out that before it was known as Steel City, the Pueblo region had its foundation in cattle.

"Pueblo County cattlemen and their ranching families are part of a $3.4 billion state industry, with a $40B economic impact, accounting for 10% of the state's total export sales," the commissioners said in a proclamation on Tuesday.

Pueblo County is also home to the Colorado State Fair, which prominently features livestock management competitions.

A growing number of barbecue events are planned along the Eastern and Southeastern Plains to counter the governor's proclamation. Ernie Felzien is a small business owner helping plan Baca County's Meat on the Street Event on March 20.

“You take agriculture away and there is no small community for me," said Felzien. "My store is gone, other peoples’ are gone, schools are closing up."

He expects at least 500 people to show up in support of ranchers if the weather holds.

"You’re not going to see anti-Polis signs out there," Felzien said. "You’re not going to see anyone jumping up and down screaming, 'Don’t be a vegan!'"

Gov. Polis seems to be taking the move in stride, and his office sent a statement applauding the "grassroots movement."

"Governor Polis is thrilled that he has helped start a grassroots movement of support for cattlemen and the beef industry," a spokesperson for Polis' office said to KRDO in a statement Tuesday. "Governor Polis is a strong supporter of Colorado jobs in the meat industry and was just in Greeley and Fort Morgan where the state partnered to provide the lifesaving vaccine to meat processing workers. Governor Polis is supportive and enthusiastic about the work of the Pueblo Commissioners to draw attention and support to our ranchers and agriculture economy on March 20th and every day." 

In the end, neither the governor's proclamation nor any county's proclamation are mandates -- you can decide to eat whatever you want on March 20.