The City of Haarlem in the Netherlands has banned advertising of meat, holiday air travel and vehicles that use fossil fuel. The ban will extend to all advertisements on buses, shelters and in public spaces.
The action taken by the City is based on prevailing sentiment regarding climate change and is justified by civic authorities using data suggesting the detrimental effect of intensive livestock production and especially beef on water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Agricultural associations that are currently under pressure in Holland over release of nitrogen to waterways and atmospheric release of greenhouse gases are opposing the action. Complaining that the action by the City of Haarlem represents a public entity “telling consumers what they should and should not eat” is inadequate.
Given the effect of bans on advertising of cigarettes that are clearly detrimental to health, it is expected that in environmentally conscious nations such as Holland and others in Western Europe that this trend towards a vegan agenda based on the environment will grow and spread to North America. To date opposition to intensive 
livestock production has been based on welfare issues. Now there is common cause between animal rights activists and environmentalists creating a formidable force. Agricultural organizations in the U.S. should take heed of the action in Haarlem, as outlandish as it may seem to be. Cage-free production, cockerel sexing, banning of beak trimming all started as small initiatives and gained political traction. We now operate with restrictions and expend fixed and working capital to comply with regulations that impact our incomes.