Nebraska's governor issued a furious statement accusing Colorado's governor of orchestrating a “direct attack on our way of life” after the latter urged residents to go meatless one day per week.

The Associated Press reported that Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) issued a proclamation declaring this Saturday "Meat on the Menu Day" during a press conference at a meat shop in Omaha.

“That is a direct attack on our way of life here in Nebraska,” Ricketts said, noting that beef production is his state's largest industry.

“If you were to get rid of beef in our country, you would be undermining our food security, an important part of a healthy diet, and also destroying an industry here in our state that’s very important,” Ricketts added.

His statement comes in response to a nonbinding proclamation issued by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) recognizing "MeatOut Day" on March 20, when animal rights activists urge consumers to conscientiously avoid eating meat each year.

Critics of factory farms argue that meat production contributes significantly to climate change and that animals used for food experience unsanitary and abusive conditions in slaughterhouses.

A study in 2019 found that more than half of Americans would support tougher federal regulations on factory farms.