AS I started my day this morning, I was some-what horrified upon reading the story of the farmer firing a gunshot at a vegan activist who was filming on his property.
PHOTO: A still taken from Mr Warden's video showing Mr Parravicini firing his gun. (Supplied: James Warden)

I’m a vegan. I have been for two years.
Stories like this have become increasingly common with the rise of veganism.
And it makes me embarrassed.
According to The Vegan Society, demand for meat-free food increased by 987% in 2017 and going vegan was predicted to be the biggest food trend in 2018.
For me, going vegan was always for ethics. And I love it.
I love the way it makes me feel. I love the way I feel like I’m bettering myself and the environment every day. I love the way it has made me an extremely passionate person, about many issues.
But you know what I don’t like?
Coming into work and seeing another vegan taking it too far. Especially to our farmers.
Right now, in Australia we are in a farming crisis, surely, we ALL know that by now.
We are experiencing droughts and floods like never before and both animals and people are dying.
Yesterday another vegan activist story flooded my Facebook.
A high-profile vegan activist had a blunt response to the South Australian dairy farmer who posted her tearful farewell to her beloved cows. The activist suggested the farmer just “get another job”.
But the issue is much bigger than that. It’s an extremely complex issue that not one single person can solve.
One vegan activist protesting at a farm isn’t going to stop animal product concussion just like one person buying more milk isn’t going to save the farming crisis.
Some things are simply out of our control – for now.
My heart breaks for the animals the we lose every day. But my heart also breaks for the dairy farmers who are struggling to put food on the table for their family.
I don’t like being put into a minority that is somewhat shunned in society.
People rolling their eyes to even the word ‘vegan’. I’m more of a ‘you do you’ vegan and I’ll do what I can to help.
You want to eat meat? That’s cool but let me eat my tofu without a comment or snarky look.
I would love to see a world that eats less meat and consumes less dairy products but I’m not going to force my opinion down people’s throat.
I’m Australian and I’m going to act that way.

Local cheese maker Rowan Cooke was devastated when he heard King Island Dairy would be shutting down.

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