There is no doubt that cows are one of the cutest animals and benefit us in many ways, but Cow Appreciation Day is not really about honoring them. It was a holiday created by Chick-fil-A in 2004 to promote their menu which, ironically, does not include any beef products.

Cow Appreciation Day is celebrated on July 13 of every year. Although Chick-fil-A traditionally celebrates this day since 2005, this is the second year that they have decided not to feature the chicken sandwich give-away that accompanies it, due to the pandemic (https://www.chick-fil-a.com/cow-appreciation-day). Traditionally, people would dress up like a cow to earn their free sandwich.

Since this day does bring attention to cows, on this day it is helpful to recognize everything that cows do for us. In addition to providing milk and beef products, cows are very beneficial to our ecosystem and play an important role in maintaining our earth healthy by promoting biodiversity, producing natural fertilizer, helping reduce the spread of wildfires, etc.

It would be pretty easy for anyone to think that we can easily live without cattle but they would be wrong. They are able to convert their energy into ways humans can’t. We use them to help take care of our crops, make products for home, health, food and industry

This day was created by one of the biggest fast food chains to encourage people to eat more chicken. Nonetheless, cows are amazing animals that can form special bonds with their owners, keeping in mind how they are treated on a daily basis is also important. While you might not be able to get a free chicken sandwich by dressing like a cow this year on Cow Appreciation Day¸ it is still worth appreciating the cows in our country by stopping by the restaurant that started it all and buying your cow-free meal in either Fairfield or Vacaville.