UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Visitors to Penn State’s University Park campus recently were greeted by a gigantic cheeseburger giving away free samples of cheese and beef jerky as several university organizations banded together to remind students of the benefits of including meat in their diets.

Amy Shollenberger, a junior from Harleysville majoring in Animal Sciences, dressed as Patty, the patty melt hamburger, for Penn State’s second annual “Meat-In Day.” Hosted by the Dairy Science Club, Block and Bridle Club and other animal science groups in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, the event was a response to the National Meat Out Day. Shollenberger says the meatless day doesn’t tell the whole story.

“A meat and dairy diet provides vitamins and minerals that you won’t get from a vegetarian diet,” says Chris Molinaro, a junior majoring in Animal Science from McClure. “Vitamin B-12, for instance, is found only in animal products, and beef is a powerhouse of vitamins.”

Molinaro says the Meat-In Day was designed to show people across campus that there are many students who are passionate about promoting animal agriculture.

“We all believe in what we do and are not going to sit back and watch campaigns like Meat-Out Day take place that are potentially devastating to animal agriculture,” she says. “I was really encouraged by the students that did come out to help with Meat-In Day. Many of them really took it upon themselves to learn more about the health benefits of meat and dairy products.”

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EDITORS: Contact Bethany Fehlinger at 814-863-2708, or by e-mail at brf5002@psu.edu.

Writer: Bethany Fehlinger brf5002@psu.edu

Editor: Gary Abdullah 814-863-2708 gxa2@psu.edu