Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society, a charity supposedly dedicated to “the promotion of agriculture” is facing criticism for hosting a vegan event headlined by anti-farming activists and sponsored by an organisation that describes dairy farming as “rape”.

The ‘Vegancampout’ event held at the Society’s Newark showground also contains an ‘Activism Bootcamp’ which attracts animal rights activists from across the world dedicated to spreading direct action against livestock farming and meat eating.

In 2018 Ronnie Lee, founder of the extreme Animal Liberation Front, who has served prison terms of up to 10 years for animal rights terrorism, was advertised as a ‘headline’ attraction at the ‘Vegancampout’. Meanwhile, in the ‘Activism Bootcamp’ extreme animal rights groups from the UK and across the world like Direct Action Everywhere, The Save Movement, Viva!, the Hunt Saboteurs Association, Surge and Animal Aid who all actively campaign against traditional livestock farming and legal activities like shooting and hunting were sharing tactics on direct action.

The 2019 event, due to take place from 30 Aug to 1 Sept, is headlined by activists such as:

Erin Janus, a Canadian writer, journalist, video producer and animal rights activist most famous for her video titled "DAIRY IS SCARY!", which has been viewed over 5 million times and has become the most viewed video on the dairy industry on the internet.

Earthling Ed, who fronts an anti-dairy campaign which claims that “a cow raised for dairy endures a cruel and violent yearly cycle of enforced pregnancy”.

Juliet Gellatley, founder and director of animal rights group Viva! which also sponsors the event, claims that dairy cows and sows are “raped” in livestock systems and campaigns against dairy, pig and poultry farming.

Tim Bonner, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, said: “It is quite extraordinary that a Society with the charitable object of promoting agriculture should be hosting an event that has at its core an aggressive anti-farming agenda. The Society’s showground, which was created to promote farming in Nottinghamshire, is now being used as a training ground for extremists who campaign against livestock farming and the rural way of life.

“It is difficult to understand why the Society is determined to carry on hosting this event when presented with unarguable evidence that it involves the spreading of an aggressive anti-farming agenda. Animal rights extremists from all over the world will be gathering to share tactics and train activists.

“The dairy industry in particular, but also other livestock farmers and butchers, are coming under increasing attack from vegan activism. Just last month 200 vegan activists invaded a farm in Lincolnshire close to Newark Showground and last week the media reported the invasion of a restaurant in Sussex by activists from Direct Activism Everywhere (DxE) a US inspired group of animal rights extremists. DxE delivered a seminar entitled ‘Protest and Disruption’ at Newark Showground as part of last year’s Vegancampout.

“The Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society needs to take its head out of the sand and cancel this event to protect the farming community, rather than the promoting extremists who want to end their way of life.”