How reducing your meat consumption helps everyone

More and more people each year are choosing to reduce their meat consumption, and replace their expensive and unhealthy meat habit with tastsy, cheap, and filling options. Excessive meat consumption is not only damaging to your health, but also to your wallet and our environment. More than one-third of raw materials and fossil fuels uses in the US are dedicated to raising animals for people to eat. Cows consume an absurd amount of food to be able to be eaten, often about 16 pounds. This amount of food grown specifically grown for our animal agriculture business usyes more than half of all the water used in the United States. To compare, it takes 10x as much water to produce a pound of meat compared to producing a pound of wheat.

Meat also has a distinct and harmful effect on your health. Red meat is a leading contributor to heart disease, and can increase your risk of cancer, diabetes, and increased cholesterol. 1/5 girls in the US missing school, because they don't have access to hygiene products, according to the Tennessean, it's an issue that Iowa should take a step and address. Limes, unpopped popcorn, and marshmallow fluff are not taxed in Iowa. Why should menstrual products be? According to the Iowa Census, 12.2% of Iowans live under the poverty line, meaning they cannot afford to buy basic necessities. This is yet another reason to remove the tax on tampons.

The New York Post cited that 51% of men believe that it's inappropriate to talk about anything referring to periods in the workplace (even asking for a tampon). Medical expenses in Iowa aren't taxed, as per the Iowa tax code. Tampons and pads are medical expenses. Furthermore, The American Medical Association, the largest association of medical professionals in America, has called for the tax on tampons to be removed. It's an important step for the Iowa government to recognize this, thus removing some stigma from menstruation.

What about the loss in state revenue?

According to the California Board of Equalization, California (population of 39.54 million) would lose an estimated $20 million in revenue. New York (population 19.85 million) lost around $10 million in revenue, according to the legislation that was passed. This is about 3.9% of their total amount tax revenue. Iowa has a population of 3.1 million, meaning we would lose less than $5 million in revenue. Nicole Kaeding (Director of Federal Projects at the Tax Foundation) said "these

exemptions are a small part of California and New York's total state and local revenues.”

Iowa has no reason to not follow in the footsteps of the 6 other states, and remove the sales taxes on periods.

Iowa has no reason to not follow in the footsteps of the 6 other states, and remove the sales taxes on periods.