CALHAN — Colorado’s agriculture industry responded to Governor Jared Polis’ meat-free proclamation, by offering up all the meat they could to their communities on Saturday.
Governor Polis recently signed a proclamation declaring March 20 a day everyone should go without eating meat--instead urging people to opt for plant-based foods. The proclamation dubbed the day ‘Meat-out Day.’
It didn’t sit well with many lifelong Colorado ranchers.
For five generations, the Hendrix family has made their living raising cattle on the plains of eastern El Paso County.
“Some people are really into their genealogies and finding out where their families come from… we’re blessed that we know,” Bill Hendrix said. “My great-grandparents homesteaded here from Slovakia.”
They thought they’d been through it all
“Good times, bad times, droughts, floods,” Bill’s father Ben Hendrix said.
And then they heard about Governor Polis’ proclamation declaring March 20 ‘meat-out day’ in Colorado.
“I thought he was way out of line,” Ben Hendrix said.
That’s what brought them to the gym at the El Paso County Fairgrounds in Calhan Saturday afternoon.
“Governor Polis’ meat out proclamation was an affront,” said State Representative Tim Geitner (R-El Paso County) “An affront to the second largest industry that we have here in Colorado.”
It’s why he, along with El Paso County Commission District 2, decided to make Saturday ‘meat-in day,’ serving up freshly grilled local beef, with all the proceeds going to Springs Rescue Mission.
“We have to say enough is enough,” Geitner said. “We had close to 300 burger patties.”
Saturday’s event in Calhan was one of dozens, if not hundreds, taking place around the state.
In El Paso County alone, similar events took place in Peyton and Yoder.
It’s a fact governor polis was well aware of when News 5 caught up with him earlier this week.
“I never thought I could do anything this big for Colorado ranchers,” Governor Polis (D-Colorado) said.” “People are calling me the beef salesman of the year.”
But if you ask lifelong ranchers like the Hendrix family, they’ll need a little more convincing before they buy that argument.
“Everybody has their own opinion and view on it,” Bill’s son, Trevor Hendrix said. “But without beef, a lot of the world wouldn’t be where it is.”
“This is generational deep… and it kind of cuts to the core sometimes,” Bill Hendrix said.
