Sterling 'Meat In Day' event serves burgers and hot dogs to over 2,000 people

STERLING - Nearly 2,400 people were served hamburgers and all-beef hotdogs during a "Meat In Day" event at the Sterling Livestock Commission in Sterling on Saturday.

The event was in response to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis' declaration to make March 20, 2021 "Meat Out Day." 

A live auction - featuring 45 donated items - was also held and rose $100,750 to benefit Sterling's Miracle Letter Program, a program that helps people in need of financial assistance.

"I'm blown away by the support of this amazing community," Sterling Livestock Commission Manger Jason Santomaso said. "Each and every one of you should be proud of what we did together today. This is a testament to what the agriculture community does when things need done."

Final numbers from the free-will donation lunch and silent auction will be tallied and released this week. There were 75 silent auction items. 

Santomaso says everything from the meat to the supplies used on Saturday were donated by local businesses. 

"Thanks to everyone that supported the Meat In events, not just here but all over the state," Santomaso said. "We can’t be content with what was accomplished today. This fight will continue and we need to continue to fight."

Colorado State Representatives Richard Holtorf and Rod Pelton, and State Senator Jerry Sonnenberg, all spoke in support of the agriculture community at the event.

"We have the biggest attack on Colorado agriculture we've ever had at the state capitol," Holtorf said. "Gov. Polis hasn't said anything. The Department of Ag hasn't said a thing. We got to get behind our agricultural organizations. We're going to have to stack our ammo, because we've got the biggest fight of Colorado's life to protect our livestock industry and what we do."

Holtorf, a third generation rancher, highlighted three bills in the state legislature he says pose a threat to rural Colorado. According to Holtorf, an ag labor bill will unionize agriculture labor just like big city labor; an animal transport bill will prohibit the transport of animals across Colorado for events such as rodeos and fairs; and Proposition 16 would shutdown select veterinarian medicine practices.

"I'll be damned if these animal rights activists are going to come in here from California, and every other place, to say 'we're not going to let you do that anymore,'" Holtorf said. "They don't have the right. The mess they're bringing on is to shut us down and get rid of us. Understand what we're facing. Understand how important it is the next 18 months to do everything we can to protect what is ours in rural Colorado and push back on them."

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts countered Gov. Polis' declaration with a proclamation labeled "Meat on the Menu Day" for Saturday, March 20.