Polis pitches Impossible Burger, and people are mad

"Have you tried Burger King’s new Impossible Burger?" Gov. Jared Polis wrote in an Aug. 15 Facebook post. "Right now it costs $1.00 more than a beef [W]hopper, and like many consumers, I can’t tell the difference on taste; but with new technology and efficiency it’s only a matter of time until a similar product costs less than beef." Polis recently met with state Department of Agriculture staff and encouraged them to think about ways to address market demand for plant-based proteins, Colorado Politics reports. He didn't issue any specific directives, but offered meat-free Impossible Burgers to staff at the department's new research facility. Some Colorado ranchers took the comments as a slap in the face. The Colorado Livestock Association, for one, released a statement with the headline: "Colorado Governor starts food fight with farmers and ranchers." "For the Governor to suggest that Colorado agriculture begin focusing on growing vegetables for plant-based proteins is confusing to the farmers and ranchers who have worked the land in rural Colorado for decades," the statement says. "Not only because Colorado’s arid climate doesn’t allow for growing the extensive list of ingredients in plant-based burgers and alternative proteins, but also because Colorado’s beef industry contributes so much to the state’s economy."...MORE