Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Producers take action against Chipotle’s beef import plan
In the following days after Chipotle Mexican Grill’s official statement
announcing their plans to import Australian grass-fed beef to meet
their “Food With Integrity” and “Responsibly Raised Beef” standards
because United States cattle ranchers were not able to meet the demand,
cattle producers and industry leaders have taken the time to speak up
about the situation. “As Texas Agriculture Commissioner, I truly appreciate the past
efforts made by Chipotle to support family farms and your company’s
dedication to serving locally-grown products. However, I am shocked by
your recent decision to start serving meat that’s been shipped in from
more than 8,000 miles away. I also was dismayed by your misguided and
irresponsible declaration that this meat is somehow more “responsibly
raised” than meat produced by Texas ranchers. American consumers deserve
better,” wrote Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples
in a June 16 letter to Chipotle’s founder, chairman and Co-CEO, Steve
Ells. “I personally invite you and the Chipotle team to meet
face-to-face with myself and other Texas beef industry leaders to
discuss how we can help supply Chipotle’s growing demand for fresh,
healthy beef. After all, Texas beef would not have to travel thousands
of miles and leave a substantial carbon footprint before ending up in a
Chipotle burrito.” Two California ranchers, Darrell Wood, an organic, grass-finished beef producer, and Darrel Sweet, a conventional beef producer, have spoken openly and clearly on the Facts About Beef Blog
about the differences in their methods and how the environment dictates
what practices they are able to utilize. For example, Wood has summer
and winter pasture available for his grass-fed operation, while 185
miles south, Sweet’s grass remains dormant six months out of the year,
making it essential he uses conventional methods in order to meet his
goals...more
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