During the last 2 years in the USA there has been a lot of writing and discussing in the media about ‘Texas cattlemen who fought a Vegetarian Activist’. Even in Europe several major newspapers reported the case of Howard Lyman, president of the International Vegetarian Union and Program Director of the Human Society of the US (HSUS).

In April of 1996, Howard Lyman, a former cattle rancher, was invited to appear on Oprah Winfrey’s television interview show called Oprah to discuss Mad Cow disease, food production, and the rendering process. Oprah is a show with one of the highest numbers of viewers in the USA (about 10 million). Ms. Winfrey, a black woman, has been named ‘the most influential woman in America’ and ‘Queen of television talk’ which is very remarkable for a person with-out any academic or other credentials. She has a lot of charisma and is definitely very likeable.

Howard in Bussolengo

Vegetarian activist Howard Lyman and an expert from the beef industry were part of a discussion of experts about food safety in the U.S. This included a discussion of potential health risks from e-coli and mad cow disease (which only weeks before was making headlines in Britain and throughout the world). When Mr. Lyman explained that cows are being fed to cows, Ms. Winfrey seemed to be repulsed by this thought, and exclaimed that it had just stopped her cold from eating another hamburger. After the show was broadcast on a Monday, the already slumping cattle prices (which had been in steep decline due to drought, over-supply and a number of complex factors) fell to some of their lowest levels in a decade on Tuesday and one Texas cattleman claimed he had lost $6.7 million. (This was referred to as the ‘Oprah crash’). The cattle industry was apparently outraged, and pulled hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of TV advertising in retaliation. Pressured by television executives to mollify the cattle industry, Oprah offered to do an hour-long segment in which experts from the cattle business could debate with Mr. Lyman on her show. However, the cattlemen refused to appear on the show if Lyman was going to be present They did not desire such a debate.

So, Oprah subsequently permitted a cattle business ‘expert’ to appear and speak for ten minutes on her show, presenting the meat industry’s side in which the spokesman could say whatever he wished, secure in the knowledge that no opposing or questioning viewpoint would be heard.

A short time later, some Texas cattlemen, led by billionaire Paul Engler, owner of Cactus Feeders, Inc., filed suit against Lyman, Oprah and Harpo Productions (which produces Oprah) over comments they made about beef safety The lawsuit alleged Lyman and Oprah had violated a Texas law which forbids someone from ‘knowingly making false statement’ about agricultural business. The cattlemen have alleged that the all-powerful and God-like Oprah is responsible for the decline in beef futures.

In a trial in Amarillo, Texas, in the middle of a cattle ranching country, from where the jury has been selected (despite numerous requests from the defendants to move the trial to another part of Texas), TV Star Oprah Winfrey and IVU President Howard Lyman have won after a five-week trial grounded in the issue of free speech, public health, environmental quality and animal suffering!

Alex Hershaft, Great American Meatout National Co-ordinator, declared that this year’s campaign, has been dedicated to Oprah Winfrey, ‘for outstanding courage in protecting the health interests of her viewing public in the face of relentless pressure from the meat industry to cover up the facts.’

Since March 20, 1985 consumer, environmental and animal protection advocates have arranged this largest and most colourful annual dietary education event in one thousand communities in all 50 states and several Canadian provinces. (SDL)

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• BSE - Mad Cow Disease - from the Articles Index