Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Targets Factory Farming in Green New Deal

During a recent episode of Showtime program Desus & Mero, New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez explained that proposed economic initiative Green New Deal heavily focuses on diminishing the environmental impact of animal agriculture. “It’s not to say you get rid of agriculture. It’s not to say we’re going to force everybody to go vegan or anything crazy like that,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “But it’s to say, listen, we’ve got to address factory farming. Maybe we shouldn’t be eating a hamburger for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Like, let’s keep it real.” The Green New Deal is constructed based on evidence that supports the fact that the animal agriculture industry produces more greenhouse gases than the entire transportation sector combined—a statement that is supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “We set a goal to get to net-zero, rather than zero, emissions in 10 years because we aren’t sure that we’ll be able to fully get rid of farting cows and airplanes that fast,” Ocasio-Cortez said. In January, the outspoken congresswoman revealed that she prefers oat- and cashew-based milk over dairy and urged children to skip meat and dairy for at least one meal during a February visit to a school in Queens.