Trust Index: President Biden is NOT proposing limits on red meat consumption

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The News4Jax Trust Index Team is fact-checking an allegation circulating on TV and social media that accuses President Joe Biden of forcing Americans to reduce their red meat consumption as part of his plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions.

At least two governors and several TV personalities have repeated the claim that Biden wants to cut 90% of red meat from Americans’ diets by 2030.

After running the claim through the Trust Index, we rate this statement as not true. Biden has not proposed any limit on Americans’ red meat consumption.

After review, we've found this information is Not True.

What is the Trust Index?

Here are the facts:

On Sunday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted a graphic, alleging that Biden’s climate requirements want to cut 90% of red meat from your diet and limit consumption to 4 pounds per year -- or one hamburger a month. Idaho Gov. Brad Little later quote-tweeted Abbott’s tweet.

The allegations also made television headlines over the weekend.

“They can’t have a steak on the grill or a hamburger on the grill July Fourth weekend,” former National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said on Fox News.

“Americans would have to cut red meat consumption by a whopping 90%. That means only one burger a month,” Jesse Watters said on “The Five.”

Biden announced last week that by the year 2030, the U.S. will reduce its greenhouse gas emission by 50% to 52%.

“Today’s final session is not about the threat of climate change poses, it’s about the opportunity that addressing climate change provides,” Biden said.

While the goal is ambitious, Biden did not mention anything about red meat consumption, nor did his administration mention anything about red meat on the White House website.

The News4Jax Trust Index Team tracked down the source of the claim to an article in the British tabloid Daily Mail that cites a 2020 academic study out of the University of Michigan and Tulane University -- conducted a year before Biden took office. The study looked hypothetically at what would happen to greenhouse emissions if Americans changed their diets, and one scenario explored what would America look like it if cut 90% of its beef consumption. While the Daily Mail writer states that sweeping change could occur that could affect how Americans eat, drive and heat their homes, the writer also says Biden “has yet to release any firm details on exactly how such a plan will affect the daily lives of Americans.”

News4Jax was unable to find any legitimate connection between Biden and the claim that he wants to limit Americans’ red meat consumption, so that’s why the News4Jax Trust Index is ranking this claim as not true.