Jeffree Star said slaughtering his yaks is the 'Wyoming way' and showed a group of animals scheduled to be killed the next day

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Jeffree Star said slaughtering his yaks is the 'Wyoming way' and showed a group of animals scheduled to be killed the next day
Jeffree Star posted a new YouTube video on Monday.Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
  • YouTuber Jeffree Star posted a new video to his channel on Monday.
  • Star defended his choice to slaughter yaks on his Wyoming ranch for food products.
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YouTuber Jeffree Star has defended his choice to raise yaks for food products in a lengthy video showing viewers around his Wyoming ranch.

The YouTuber and cosmetics mogul uploaded a new video to his channel on Monday titled "The Truth About the Star Yak Ranch." Star, who moved to Casper, Wyoming, in December 2020, showed followers a tour of Star Yak Ranch, including footage of him grooming the yaks, and addressed criticism around his decision to produce yak meat.

Star Yak Ranch announced in May that it would sell packaged yak meat through its online store and may open a shop in June. Star faced criticism from some fans who questioned if the yaks featured on his social media would be the ones slaughtered.

"I don't think city folk understand farming," Star said in the video. "There was a very big misconception when I announced that I was going to sell meat."

Near the end of the video, Star showed viewers where he keeps the yaks intended for slaughter. Star previously told Insider that his pet yaks have name tags and are kept in pastures on one part of his land. The yaks for slaughter have regular, non-named tags and are kept in a pasture near the back.

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"Behind me, these animals are going to be slaughtered tomorrow," Star said, standing in front of a large pen where various yaks roamed. "They're not halter trained. They're not named and have normal tags. These yaks are grass-fed only. There are zero grains or treats given to our yaks that will become food."

Star said that since moving to Casper, he's embraced the farm-to-table lifestyle and was surprised some of his followers weren't familiar with it. Star also said he'd adopted the "Wyoming way" regarding his yaks, including breeding, keeping some yaks as pets, and planning to kill others for their meat.

"I had no idea people were uneducated about farming, where meat came from, or even the culture of hunting and providing food for your family," Star said. "It's a whole entire world, and living in Wyoming, I've definitely learned the Wyoming way."

He added: "It may seem a little interesting to some people … that I am raising yaks for breeding, pets, and, yes, raising yaks for food."

A post shared by Star Yak Ranch (@staryakranch)

Star then responded to critics who accused him of being dishonest about his business practices, which he denies.

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Insider previously reported that Jeffree Star LLC filed to trademark Star Yak Ranch in categories including butchering services, clothing, and edible pet treats in September 2021. At the time, Star acknowledged complaints about selling yak meat on Snapchat after speculation among fans, saying just because he filed trademarks under those categories didn't mean he'd ever pursue them.

Star, whose cosmetic line is vegan and cruelty-free, denied that meat products were initially part of his plan in the new video.

"There was never a plan to raise yaks for meat in the beginning. I know some people can't fathom that and want to say I'm a liar," Star said. "I did trademark the Star Yak Ranch for all sorts of things — fiber, breeding, butchering, everything."

"I do sell a vegan cosmetic brand, but that has nothing to do with my yak ranch. That is a whole separate company," Star said.

Jeffree Star said slaughtering his yaks is the 'Wyoming way' and showed a group of animals scheduled to be killed the next day
Jeffree Star's Star Yak Ranch will begin selling yak meat through its online store.Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

"The thought of raising an animal in peace and happiness, from pasture to plate, is something you don't learn living in a big city like LA," Star told Insider.

Representatives for Star did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

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