NEW YORK, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Joan Jett said she won't ride on the South Dakota float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade because ranchers in the state protested her vegetarian lifestyle.
A trade group for ranchers in South Dakota said they were concerned about Jett's involvement with the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals when they learned she and her band, the Blackhearts, were going to be on the float, CNN reported Saturday.
"So, of course, when we learned that about Miss Jett, we were rightly concerned about her representing South Dakota and a state that is so heavily reliant on agriculture and livestock production to drive our economy," Jodie Anderson of the South Dakota Cattlemen's Association, said.
Upon learning about the concerns, Jett said she decided to switch to another, unspecified float.
"I've decided to switch from South Dakota to another float because people's political agendas were getting in the way of what should be a purely entertainment driven event," she said in a statement Saturday. "I will remain focused on entertaining the millions of people watching, who will be celebrating a great American tradition."
