Colorado livestock producers to hold "Meat In" Saturday to counter governor's proclamation

Although Colorado governor Jared Polis declared Saturday, March 20, “Meat Out Day” in the state, many will be celebrating Nebraska’s “Meat on the Menu Day” instead.

"Proclamations like this do nothing but try to hurt us," Sterling Livestock Commission owner Jim Santomaso said. "No matter what [Polis] says, that was the intent in my mind."

On Friday, organizers made final preparations for a “Meat In” set for Saturday in Sterling, Colorado. It’s the culmination of a wave of community support after Polis' proclamation proved to be not so popular in the area.

"It's amazing and needed," Santomaso said. "Quite frankly, our governor kicked a lion and now it's biting back and it's biting back hard."

Santomaso says they are expecting hundreds of people at their event meant to celebrate ag producers. The menu is a meaty one.

"We're going to cook hamburgers and all beef hotdogs," he said. "It's probably at least quadrupled from what we thought it was going to be to begin with. The support means the world to us."

They’re taking the opportunity to do good in the community. Proceeds from the lunch and planned live and silent auctions will benefit Sterling’s Miracle Letter Program, which helps people in need of financial assistance.

With what the event has become, Santomaso says he believes Polis’ proclamation did more good than harm.

"Our governor is the number one meat salesman in Colorado for this week and March the 20th and hopefully beyond," Santomaso said.

This isn’t the only “Meat In” going on in Colorado. A simple search on Facebook reveals plenty of similar events in the state this weekend.

"This is bringing a state together," Santomaso said. "City people, country people, and it means the world to us."

Santomaso wants to continue to good will this has started by encouraging people to support local businesses and restaurants who are still recovering financially from COVID-19. 

Colorado state senator Jerry Sonnenberg and representative Rod Pelton will be in attendance, according to posts by Jim's son James Santomaso on the event's Facebook page. 

Polis issued his "Meat Out Day" proclamation in late February. Outside of ag producers, Nebraska governor Pete Ricketts issued a countering proclamation labeled "Meat on the Menu Day" for Saturday, March 20.