By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor
A new website developed by the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) is taking a tongue-in-cheek approach to a serious topic challenging employees of a large company.
The website, ichoosemeat.com, was developed after an announcement by WeWork detailing the company’s decision to remove meat from offices and to stop reimbursing employees for meals containing meat.
The website, developed by NAMI, a trade organization of red meat and poultry processors and distributors, aims to call bull on that statement.
The modern, graphics-driven website contains articles poking lighthearted fun at meatless policies.
There are also links to sister websites—Meat Mythcrushers and My Meatup, which direct visitors to resources explaining facts about meat production in the U.S., including debunking the environmental theory cited by WeWork.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found agriculture overall generated only about nine percent of national greenhouse emissions, and beef production was responsible for just two percent, Texas Beef Council Executive Vice President Richard Wortham told the Houston Chronicle.
The company would “probably be better off encouraging their employees to use less energy at the office or take public transportation,” Wortham said.
Texas is the top beef-producing state in the nation with more than 12.5 million cattle in the state.
“WeWork made a baseless accusation,” Tracy Tomascik, Texas Farm Bureau associate director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities, said. “The website released by NAMI in response to that poor decision is both amusing and informational. We urge people interested in learning the truth about meat production to check it out and enjoy a good steak dinner.”