Former Veganuary cheerleader quits to run meat-eating campaign after decades combating animal cruelty

The 54-year-old, who dedicated decades to combating animal cruelty, is now telling people to continue eating meat while donating to causes that improve conditions for farm animals instead.

Veganuary is a non-profit organisation encouraging people to adopt a vegan lifestyle during January and beyond.

Ms Vernelli claims vegan ideology is "not only unhelpful but actually damaging to the fundamental goal of reducing animal suffering".

FarmKind's campaign, set to debut in January 2026, argues financial contributions to animal welfare organisations prove more effective than dietary changes.

According to Ms Vernelli, three decades of promoting dietary changes taught her that urging people to abandon meat merely pushes away those who genuinely wish to combat factory farming.

"You can only stop eating the amount of meat you currently eat, so your impact is capped. There's no theoretical limit to the good you can do by donating," she explained.

The campaigner believes focusing on diet places an artificial ceiling on how much positive change any individual can achieve.

Rather than encouraging people to minimise harm through personal consumption choices, FarmKind's approach centres on funding efforts to transform agricultural practices.

Ms Vernelli described this as a "novel approach" that enables people to assist animals without completely overhauling their lifestyles.

Looking back on her three decades in animal advocacy, Ms Vernelli said: "I now believe that diet change shouldn't even be a part of the conversation."

"I no longer care what anyone eats and welcome any gesture people make to help reduce animal suffering, a value that 99 per cent of people share," she told The Telegraph.

FarmKind maintains most Britons despise factory farming yet enjoy eating meat, insisting those positions were incompatible was discouraging people from taking action.

The charity says contributing £15 monthly would achieve greater results for animals than eliminating meat from their diets entirely.

Thom Norman, a FarmKind co-founder, reflected his years of street campaigning in London failed to make "much difference".

He said donating five per cent of his salary would have accomplished more for animals than persuading 15 people to adopt veganism.

Mr Norman noted 83 per cent of those who attempt the lifestyle abandon it within three months.

Responding to the defection and FarmKind’s campaign, Veganuary likened the move to “deliberately setting a fire and then donating to the fire brigade”.

Speaking to GB News, they said: “While we welcome open discussion about the most effective ways to reduce harm to animals, the ‘Forget Veganuary’ campaign reflects a short-sighted approach that diverts attention from the real drivers of animal suffering and entirely overlooks the role of factory farming in climate breakdown and public health crises.”

The organisation said “ongoing demand” was the key issue and “If consumption remains at current levels, billions of animals will continue to be bred, confined, and slaughtered every year, regardless of how much money is donated”.

“Charitable interventions may alleviate some symptoms of factory farming, but dietary change tackles the cause,” they told The People’s Channel.

“If people genuinely want to help animals, the most effective action is straightforward: eating fewer animal products. Small, sustained changes made by millions of people will always outweigh symbolic gestures designed to generate headlines.

“Veganuary’s position is clear: the most effective way to help animals is not to 'pay' to offset the harm after it occurs, but to prevent it from happening in the first place."

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