Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Fighting for the Beef State

Nebraska is known around the world for our hard-working farmers and ranchers. Agriculture is the heart and soul of our state. Beef production delivers billions of dollars to our economy every year. It’s also essential to our national security. But today, the “Beef State” way of life is under threat. Once again, anti-agriculture activists have taken over a federal entity to impose a radical, anti-beef agenda on the country. We must reject this unscientific approach.

Every five years, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee delivers recommendations to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). USDA and HHS use those recommendations to develop official, five-year dietary guidelines. New official guidelines are expected to be released next year. The Dietary Guidelines might sound harmless, but institutions across the country rely on them to make decisions. Shamefully, the committee chose to put politics over sound science with theirs.

Last month, the Committee proposed new recommendations that would devastate Nebraska’ beef industry. These “recommendations” attack beef and potatoes. The committee is pushing a switch to plant-based substitutes like peas, beans, and lentils. These recommendations are delusional. They’re radical. They’re anti-science. They come from people who don’t respect our culture and way of life. They pretend to know better than the people who actually grow our food. This anti-meat agenda must be stopped. 

It’s laughable that beef is somehow unhealthy. In addition to being tasty, red meat is the best way to deliver protein. One 6-ounce cooked serving of beef provides a whopping 25 grams of protein. Beef is nutrient-dense, containing ten essential nutrients including iron, zinc, and B vitamins. And research has linked beef protein to a host of positive health outcomes such as weight loss, muscle retention, and diet satisfaction. We should be encouraging more beef consumption, not less. Americans already struggle to get the nutrients we need each day. A shift from beef to beans, peas, and lentils will only make this problem worse.

Much of the land used for livestock production couldn’t be used for anything else. Agricultural land is divided into two categories: arable land and marginal land. Arable land, which represents one-third of agricultural land, can be plowed. That means it’s suitable for growing food. Marginal land, representing two-thirds of agricultural land, is not suitable for growing food. Marginal land receives little or no water, has lower quality soils, or is rocky. Cattle production keeps marginal lands thriving.

Beef production is also essential to our state and national economy. Last year, Nebraska led the nation with $1.78 billion in beef and veal exports. We led the nation in commercial cattle slaughter, with 6.8 million head. Our 20,000 beef cow operations add over $12.1 billion to our economy. Cherry, Custer, and Holt counties are the top three cow producing counties in the nation. Protecting and growing this industry is critical for our state’s continued survival and growth.  

That’s exactly what I’ve done. As Governor, I criticized Colorado Governor Jared Polis for encouraging people to move away from red meat. I declared “Meat on the Menu Day” to support our beef industry and highlight its importance in a good diet. As Senator, I’m fighting to ensure ranchers have what they need to be successful. I’m pushing for a comprehensive Farm Bill and pushing back on burdensome mandates. I’m supporting risk management tools like Price Loss Coverage and Livestock Risk Protection. And I’m leading legislation to give producers relief, not regulation. I look forward to working with President Trump and his administration to make these things a reality.

Food security is national security. Without our farmers and ranchers, Americans would depend on other countries for the food we eat. I will continue to stand up against those who would tell us what to eat and what to farm.