A plant-based food business has sparked an online debate after a pro-farming page mocked it for doing no sales at a recently held horse event.

Farmers Against Misinformation posted an image of a plant-based food van on Facebook and wrote alongside it: “The only food stand with no queue today at the Badminton Horse Trials.”

Apparently, the farming brigade wanted to highlight the oddity of the presence of a plant-based vendor at an animal event.

Online reaction

The photo soon went viral and many pointed out its anti-vegan rhetoric and how the meat-eating community is trying to sabotage the growing plant-based movement.

 “Obviously seen as a threat. Farmers are not a happy bunch these days,” wrote one user.

“There’s no one behind the counter, think this was taken when closed to make your dumb joke,” added another.

“How many vegans are likely to attend an event that exploits horses? No surprise there are no queues Farmers against Misinformation,” a third commented.

A plant-based vendor also shared his experience: “We are not the busiest caterers at any of the events we attend and we are still a minority in this world but us minorities have to eat as well, plus sometimes the added bonus you can get the rogue carnivore who doesn’t want to queue at the burger van and enjoys amazing vegan/plant-based food and comes back and tells you how surprised they are that it was really good! Or course it was  just so there is no confusion this is not our unit.”

“ If you read through the comments there are many non-vegans criticising the post too. It’s the usual anti-vegan rhetoric from the farming brigade. I’d be interested to know the thinking behind the van being at a horse trial though. I used to go to watch Badminton, Burghley and Chatsworth before embracing veganism but wouldn’t consider it now,” Someone else wrote.

Another cautioned: “This post is just culture war bait folks, warming up the division and hates for the election next year, don’t fall for it.”

Horse death reported at the prestigious trials

The Badminton Horse Trials is a renowned equestrian event that takes place every year in early May at the Badminton Estate in Gloucestershire, England.

While the food van has become a hot topic on the internet, the cruel event resulted in mishaps that caused animal injuries and even death.

WSF Carthago, a 13-year-old gelding of the Irish Sport Horse breed,  owned by Frank Breach, was put down after suffering an injury during the cross-country event.

https://twitter.com/watch_welfare/status/1655578330127646724

He was the second horse to navigate Eric Winter’s significant track and had a clear round until reaching the Jubilee Clump Brush, where the incident took place.

A statement released by organizers read:  “ WSF Carthago was treated in the veterinary clinic at Badminton and subsequently hospitalised. The extent of injury found in surgery meant successful repair was not possible and our commiserations go to the whole team.” 

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