Jeffree Star yak meat controversy: YouTuber clarifies rumors of killing his animals 

YouTuber, beauty mogul, and now self-proclaimed rancher Jeffree Star has been enveloped in controversy regarding selling yak meat since Memorial Day weekend, which has snowballed into a lot of back and forth online.

In a new YouTube video titled The TRUTH About the Star Yak Ranch posted on Monday, June 6, Star addressed rumors that he was killing his pets for his proposed yak meat endeavor. Netizens had previously called him out for a purported 'conflict of interests,' given that his beauty brand Jeffree Star Costemics was vegan and cruelty-free.

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Is Jeffree Star killing his pets for his yak meat business?

The beauty mogul relocated to Casper, Wyoming in December 2020, leaving behind his luxurious city lifestyle in Los Angeles for some 'peace and quiet.' Since then, the YouTuber has entrenched himself in the farming industry, tending to his own yak ranch named Star Yak Ranch.

In May, the brand announced that it was expanding to sell packaged yak meat in mincedmeat, jerky and steak form. The announcement drew major backlash since netizens assumed that Jeffree Star would be slaughtering his pets that he had showcased on his Instagram several times for the meat.

Clapping back at the criticism, Star clarified in his video:

"People are so crazy. I don't think city folk understand farming. There was a very big misconception when I announced that I was going to sell meat. People thought it was all of my pets I’ve been spending the last year and a half with. Sorry! They’re all right here.”

While Jeffree Star had previously responded to the backlash on Twitter, he did not explicitly make the distinction that the yaks that were being bred for food were not his pets.

Commenting on how a majority of Americans were still unaware of the origins of the meat they consumed, Star said:

"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. It's a whole entire world. And living in Wyoming, I've definitely learned the Wyoming way. It may seem a little interesting to some people, or you were a little perturbed that I am raising yaks for breeding, and pets, and, yes, raising yaks for food."

He explained that his interest in yak meat was piqued when he found out that it was the "leanest, healthiest red meat in America."

Jeffree Star was also accused of masterminding Star Yak Ranch with the intention of selling yak meat from the get-go. Many felt cheated that he had peddled lies and put on a front about caring for his pets. Addressing the allegations, Star responded:

"There was never a plan to raise yaks for meat in the beginning. I know some people can’t fathom that, and they want to say I’m a liar. Girl, I’ve been living out in paradise. When I learned more about the animal, I was like 'Oh, I want to try doing stuff like that.'"

The YouTuber added that even though he owned a vegan and cruelty-free makeup brand, it had "nothing to do" with his yak ranch and that it was a "whole separate company."

At the end of the yak meat segment of his video, Jeffree Star pointed to the yaks that were being bred for food, saying:

"All of the yaks that I'm raising for food — they're in a back pasture. Yes, they are still getting love and care and they're eating amazing. Obviously, they're all grass-fed. But I don't name them, I don't halter train them, I don't spend hours with them. And at my ranch, we don't have names for our food."

He claimed that orienting himself to the 'Wyoming way' and learning how to become 'a real rancher' after leaving LA has been an amazing experience for him.