By Garrett Hawkins a farmer from Appleton City who serves as President of Missouri Farm Bureau
SEDALIA – In case you missed it, athletes competing at the Olympic Games in Paris, France, are crying foul about the lack of meat-based protein options in the Olympic Village. “Disaster” is one word news outlets have reported teams as saying to describe the dining experience. The Brits even flew an additional chef to Paris to care for their athletes.
A quick internet search about this controversy leads to the Paris 2024 Food Vision, a 41-page plan for feeding 13 million meals and “celebrating the modern taste of France.” While the French capital aims to showcase its culinary identity with a focus on locally sourced, plant-based cuisine, the Olympic Village menu has fallen flat for many athletes who require protein-rich diets to fuel their performance. It’s a classic case of misplaced priorities.
Call it a hunch, but I doubt the cafeteria line is long for lentils and leeks from Lyon.
It is unfortunate French elitists are using the Olympics to push their unrealistic climate agenda on athletes who simply want to perform at the highest level and fulfill their Olympic dreams.
Imagine how different their food experience would be if the Games were held in Sedalia in conjunction with the Missouri State Fair, where the offerings of meat, poultry and dairy are seemingly endless.
The U.S. Track & Field Team could enjoy ribeye sandwiches at the Beef House for lunch and slabs of ribs at the Pork Place for dinner.
Media, rushing from event to event, could grab a fresh jumbo corn dog for a quick bite and stash a turkey leg in a camera bag for later.
Medalists could celebrate their achievements with ice cream sundaes at the Gerkin Dairy Center.
And, every Olympian could enjoy ice-cold, protein-packed white and chocolate milk at the Farm Bureau building for just 25 cents per cup.
To top it off, every food selection would be “climate guilt free” because Missouri farmers and ranchers raise high quality food while stewarding the resources with which we have been blessed.
Sedalia may not be Paris, but when the Missouri State Fair runs August 8-18, it will be the clear winner when it comes to tasty food selections.
Please join us in celebrating agriculture and all things Missouri at the fair, and don’t forget to grab milk at the Farm Bureau building.
I’ll see you there.
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