The Texas agriculture commissioner has a beef with Chipotle Mexican Grill and wants to talk with its founder after the company decided to import grass-fed beef from Australia.
Commissioner Todd Staples in a letter Monday says it's "misguided" and "irresponsible" for Chipotle founder Steve Ells to believe that Australian meat is raised more responsibly than cattle in Texas, the nation's leading producer, or other states.
Ells last month defended the move by writing for the Huffington Post that Chipotle was having difficulty getting beef it prefers from U.S. producers because the lingering drought is leading to the smallest herds in decades.
Chipotle did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Staples' letter.
Staples says he wants Ells to meet with him and Texas beef industry leaders.
