--- title: Meatless Monday: Jodi Ernst Wants to Ban It for Military description: Iowa Senator Joni Ernst introduced legislation this week to prohibit U.S. armed forces facilities from establishing "Meatless Monday" canonical: https://time.com/4363024/joni-ernst-meatless-monday/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-06-10T19:25:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:55:28.090Z article:section: Health og:title: Meatless Monday: Jodi Ernst Wants to Ban It for Military og:description: Iowa Senator Joni Ernst introduced legislation this week to prohibit U.S. armed forces facilities from establishing "Meatless Monday" og:url: https://time.com/4363024/joni-ernst-meatless-monday/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte80f50ac59c96131/69889762cd1bba159f701110/joni-ernst.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: Sen. Joni Ernst og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Meatless Monday: Jodi Ernst Wants to Ban It for Military twitter:description: Iowa Senator Joni Ernst introduced legislation this week to prohibit U.S. armed forces facilities from establishing "Meatless Monday" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte80f50ac59c96131/69889762cd1bba159f701110/joni-ernst.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # This Senator Wants to Ban Meatless Mondays for the Military > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=52c32553-e0a7-4f24-b954-c50debc20d6d&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Vegan Activist Gene Baur on Animal Sanctuaries, 'Ethical Eggs,' and Guilty Pleasure Foods [Watch (HLS stream): Vegan Activist Gene Baur on Animal Sanctuaries, 'Ethical Eggs,' and Guilty Pleasure Foods](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/5rPb5GIW.m3u8) (2:14)  _Published 2014-03-25. Farm animal activist Gene Baur talks to TIME's Belinda Luscombe about animal sanctuaries, ethical eggs, and his guilty pleasure food item_  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Jun 10, 2016 7:25 PM UTC  Sen. Joni Ernst participates in the news conference with survivors of sexual assault to urge the Senate to pass the Campus Accountability and Safety Act April 26, 2016. Sen. Joni Ernst participates in the news conference with survivors of sexual assault to urge the Senate to pass the Campus Accountability and Safety Act April 26, 2016. Bill Clark—AP  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Jun 10, 2016 7:25 PM UTC Iowa Senator Joni Ernst introduced [legislation](https://www.congress.gov/amendment/114th-congress/senate-amendment/4485/text) this week to prohibit U.S. armed forces facilities from establishing “Meatless Monday,” suggesting that such a program might leave soldiers without adequate meat protein. The Ernst proposal—technically an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act—cites the federal government’s [dietary guidelines](http://time.com/4142859/2015-us-dietary-guidelines/) as reason to ensure that members of the armed forces get enough meat. The guidelines do suggest that protein from meat [plays a key part](http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/executive-summary/) in a healthy eating pattern, but the document also says that the average American man gets too much of that protein from meat. Instead of relying on meat, the guidelines recommend diversifying the diet with seafood, nuts and beans. **Read More:** [**Should You Be Eating Bugs Instead of Meat?**](http://time.com/4292792/edible-bugs-protein/) In an emailed statement, Ernst described Meatless Mondays as “misguided at best” and in conflict with dietary standards. “Our men and women in uniform should have the option to consume the protein they need, including meat, on a daily basis,” she said. The Ernst proposal comes as the Humane Society has made inroads promoting Meatless Monday—abstaining from meat on that day of the week—for members of the armed services. The animal welfare group provides training and recipes to help facilities reduce their meat consumption. The group helped the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut cut meat consumption by 10% in three years, according to a _Politico_ [report](https://www.politicopro.com/story/2016/05/hsus-next-big-win-meatless-monday-115100). **Read More:** [**Sorry Vegans: Here’s How Meat-Eating Made Us Human**](http://time.com/4252373/meat-eating-veganism-evolution/) More broadly, the Meatless Monday phenomenon has spread to offices and cafeterias across the country. Supporters of the movement cite growing evidence that a plant-based diet is linked to a variety of [health benefits](http://time.com/4092378/red-meat-hot-dogs-and-the-war-on-delicious/) and heavy meat consumption [exacts a heavy toll](http://time.com/4266874/vegetarian-diet-climate-change/) on the environment. Ernst, who was born and raised on a farm, received national attention during her 2014 Senate election with a [television ad](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9Y24MFOfFU) called “Squeal.” In the spot, Ernst promises to make lawmakers in Washington squeal the same way as she did castrating pigs. Her state is the leader in pork production and the second-largest producer of red meat overall. ## Transcript So your organization Farm Sanctuary, is it a farm in the sense that it produces anything? It's a farm in the sense that it is barns and pastures and fields. We grow hay for the animals, but it's primarily a sanctuary, a place where the animals get to live out their lives. They're never exploited like animals are on most farms. So, it's like a retirement home for animals? I would call it. Florida for animals? [ LAUGH ] It, well it's a refuge. It's kind of a retirement, but most farm animals who are raised and slaughtered in the US are killed when they're just a few weeks or a few months old. So, it, retirement in a sense that they're retired, being retired and being removed from the industrial food system. But they're usually pretty young animals when they first come to us. So, in your mind, it's just impossible to have an ethical egg? I think it may be possible to have an ethical egg. As long as the chicken is a part of the family and not just seen as a production unit. And so, if somebody has a hen and they allow that hen to live out her life. And if that hen gets sick, they provide veterinary care. If that hen is treated like a cat or a dog, for instance and if that hen is laying eggs, I don't see that as being a big ethical problem. At Farm Sanctuary we do not eat the eggs because we don't want to set an example. No eggs, no dairy, no meat, no honey. What, what is your guilty pleasure food? What do you eat when your super depressed? [ LAUGH ] Well I try not to get depressed. And then when I, when I don't feel great I think eating healthy food actually helps get ya out of [ LAUGH ] a bad situation. But like a lot of people I have a weakness for sugar. I really like sweets. But I try to eat well and I try to eat greens. I try to eat whole foods. I try to eat a variety foods. Yeah, but everybody tries to do that. And I'm saying, you know, so it's a sugar thing. So you'll eat, what can you have? Boiled lollies? Well, well, like almond milk is often times very sweet. So I like almond milk with chocolate chip cookies. There you go. That would be one of my guilty pleasures which I really quite enjoy. After a long day, you know, sort of late at night, you know, milk and cookies. You're kicking back, milk and cookies. Is wine allowed? Wine is allowed. Wine is allowed. Yes, and I do occasionally. And beer? And beer is allowed, yes, I enjoy both of em. Pretty much all your hard liquors, right? Oh, yeah. Cause it's all grain. Oh yeah. Right. 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