Royal Highland Show Urged to ‘Grow Vegan’ by PETA
Royal Highland Show Urged to ‘Grow Vegan’ by PETA
Edinburgh – Ahead of the annual Royal Highland Show from 22 to 25 June, PETA sent a letter to Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland Chair Jim Warnock encouraging him to transition to a vegan event – the Royal Highland Grow – showcasing Scotland’s diverse crop farming. PETA has even designed a cheerful new logo for the event featuring playful mascots “Neep and Tattie” in honour of the classic Scottish dish.
Currently, the show involves over 6,500 non-consenting animals who are tied up, pulled around, roughly handled, and forced to compete in dangerous show jumping. A vegan event, in contrast, could feature fun, family-friendly activities such as a vegan haggis–eating contest, a turnip beauty pageant, and a potato-sculpting competition.
“Instead of outdated cow parades, cruel sheep shearing, and food that has been cut or expelled from an animal’s body, the new Royal Highland Grow can celebrate Scotland’s hard-working plant-based farmers and delicious, locally produced vegan fare,” writes PETA UK Vice President of Vegan Projects Dawn Carr. “The change will support the UK’s arable and horticultural farmers and help protect the environment by highlighting all the fantastic crops that can be grown in Scotland, from kelp to oats.”
Animal agriculture is a leading cause of environmental destruction, as it requires massive amounts of land, food, energy, and water while emitting huge quantities of greenhouse gases. Researchers at the University of Oxford recently determined that current agricultural systems make it impossible to meet climate commitments even if all other sources of greenhouse gas emissions were eliminated. PETA offers a free vegan starter kit for those looking to make the switch to vegan meals.
PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” and which opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview – released a video last year celebrating crop farmers across the UK. Last month, the group also announced the winners of its first-ever Farming Awards.
For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk or follow the group on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.
Contact:
Jennifer White, +44 207-837-6327, [email protected]
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