About a year ago, I wrote a blog about how animal rights activists are heavily targeting college students in an effort to raise the next generation of vegans and vegetarians and to disparage modern animal agriculture.

Between People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Glass Walls Project to the Humane Society University sending speakers (including President Wayne Pacelle) to Colorado State University, animal rights activists are tryingand succeedingin convincing impressionable young minds that the grass on the campus quad is greener if youre a vegan.

About a year ago, I wrote about one such college student, my cousin Martha. Martha has always been an ambitious and adventurous young woman. She even studied abroad in high school for an entire year, which I know I would have been too homesick to do, especially at such a young age.

But when Martha was abroad, she didnt eat much meat, and came home forgetting about the deliciousness of meat, milk and eggs. As I wrote in my original post:

I started noticing it six, or so, months ago: some particularly veggie heavy recipes in the annual family exchange, a few Pinterest posts tagging Meatless Mondays. It was a slow build, but soon enough my teenage cousin was visiting my family, sitting at my mothers Sunday table and refusing bacon: Im a vegetarian.

Excuse me, what? Its true, came the replyshes sworn off turkey on Thanksgiving, her beloved ham roll-ups, burgers, hot dogs, and of course, bacon. The only silver lining is that shes still eating cheese (otherwise I dont know if our home state of Wisconsin would ever forgive her!). My cousin is off to college this fall and will likely be packing newly acquired vegetarian habits in the U-haul along with her bedding and shower caddy.

Im all for consumer choice, and after working for this industry for most of my adult life, Ive quickly come to recognize that if consumers want it, farmers will find a way to produce it. Its our freedom of choice that makes our country different, and that bounty at the grocery store is what allows us to have opinions and make personal decisions for our families and ourselves.

So while I was a little surprised by my cousins decision, it was 100 percent her right to choose what works for her and what her preferences were: and I had no right to say one word about it.

So I didnt. Not even once. And trust me, it was a little hard (especially when she would share articles from PETA or HSUS on her Facebook feed!!).

But just a few weeks ago, I was traveling near where she goes to college and wanted to see her to catch up in person. Knowing her dietary restrictions, I let her pick the placeand when we got thereI took a quick perusal of the menu and said, Martha, I dont think theyre going to have enough options for you here, maybe we should go somewhere else.

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Meredith: Update on 'When your cousin goes vegan'