To the Editor:

Being a native Oregonian, I must say that I grow weary of special interest groups who try to force their point of view upon the rest of us, without having all the facts. As a child, my grandmother taught me that although I have a right to an opinion, I have a responsibility to educate myself on that subject as well. And while I understand that ONDA members think they are trying to protect the environment, I seriously doubt they fully realize the consequences of their actions.

Many years ago I researched the impact of beef and beef byproducts on the lives of American people and I was amazed. Aside from the obvious, such as steaks, hamburger, gelatin, chewing gum, marshmallows and many more foods, there is much more. Beef byproducts are used in the making of textiles, soap, crayons, plastics, paint, photographic film, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, cosmetics, lubricants, printing ink, paper whitener, car tires and even the asphalt on highways. This is just a sampling of the many products that are produced using beef byproducts that people use everyday.

It is very easy to see just how much beef impacts our lives and I haven’t even mentioned all the medications that come from beef, like Insulin, Heparin, Glucagon, Corticotrophin, many thyroid medications and many more.

So the next time you get up in the morning and brush your hair with a plastic hair brush, brush your teeth, wash your face, put on your makeup, put on your clothes and drive to work, thank a cow – better yet, thank a cattle rancher! And think about what it will be like in the future when they must reduce their herd size, or go out of business altogether and we can’t even get these products.

I truly must wonder if ONDA members realize the impact of their actions. The paper their lawsuit was written on was whitened with beef byproducts. They will all arrive at the hearing wearing makeup, clothing, shoes and coats made with beef and beef byproducts. They’ll probably have a hamburger for lunch as well and still not realize the impact that beef has on their lives. And while trying to reduce the supposed negative impact of cattle on the environment, almost everything in the environment they live in, including the drywall and paint in their homes, was produced using beef and beef byproducts. Ironic, isn’t it?

Cindy Baker

Mt. Vernon