Animal Agriculture Alliance debuts Meat Matters campaign

February 1, 2016 – Today, the Animal Agriculture Alliance unveiled a new campaign focused on promoting the role of meat and poultry in a healthy, balanced diet. The Meat Matters initiative counters claims made by activist groups about the nutritional value of animal protein, as well as the sustainability of meat and poultry production.

“We’ve heard a lot of concern over the years from our members about activists pushing the “Meatless Mondays” movement in their local schools and communities,” said Kay Johnson Smith, Alliance president and CEO. “This misleading movement is another tactic to eliminate consumer choice – the ability that we each have to determine the right food choices for ourselves and our families. Our new campaign will help consumers sort through the myths and misinformation to understand the true value of meat and protein in their diets.”

The Alliance has produced and maintained consumer-facing resources explaining the truth behind “Meatless Mondays” for nearly a decade, and the new Meat Matters materials take that content to a new level with eye-catching graphic design and easily digestible information.

Campaign materials include:
• Print and web versions of a poster filled with facts and statistics about meat’s role in a healthy diet intended for distribution to consumers or decision-makers in communities being pressured by the “Meatless Mondays” movement
• Content and resources posted on the Alliance website
• The Meat Matters pledge, allowing proud omnivores to announce their understanding of the nutritional value of meat and poultry to their social media connections
• Editorial pieces by third-party experts on nutrition and sustainability
• Links to published, peer-reviewed research
“It’s easy to find celebrities and other public figures who are very public about their choice to follow vegetarian or vegan diets,” said Hannah Thompson, Alliance communications director. “Unfortunately, we don’t hear as much from meat-eaters, who make up the vast majority of the population. We want to help people feel confident about their choice to include meat and poultry in their diets, and hopefully the Meat Matters campaign will do just that.”

For more information and to take the “Meat Matters” pledge, visit www.animalagalliance.org/engage/#meatmatters.