Veganic Farming: A Sustainable (and Compassionate) Solution

by Harold Brown

categories: Environment and Global Warming, Farm Animals, Food and Recipes, Vegan

Published March 28, 2009 @ 01:01PM PT

Following is the final part of former animal farmer Harold Brown's multipart guest post. In addition to this excellent, thoughtful post, see also these previous posts: part 1, "Animal Ag: Will It Be Our Death? An Intro to Cattle Culture; part 2, "Free-Range Pasture Systems Not a Viable Solution"; and part 3, "Cattle Culture, Aquaculture, and Export of the Western Diet." -S. Ernst

Okay, I've pointed out some concerns regarding livestock production, with an emphasis on free-range and pasture-fed. What are some answers? Quite simply, it is animal-free organic farming, also known as stock-free or veganic farming.

Recently a book was published called Growing Green (purchase here) that gives not only the reasons we must adopt stock-free practices, but also the nuts and bolts on how to do it on any scale. An organic farmer in New Mexico named Don Bustos converted to veganic practices at his CSA (community supported agriculture) and soon was supplying the same amount of food for his shares from less acreage. Producing food with less land!

-Continue after the jump for much more-

This is a boon not only to the restoration of grasslands but also to free-living animals. Truth be told, most of the loss of habitat that free-living animals experience is caused by the expansion of agriculture. Of course urban sprawl is to blame too, but the federal government's Wildlife Services exists not so much to "manage" wildlife but to work at the behest of ranchers to exterminate (sorry, manage) wildlife that they deem are in direct or indirect competition for pasture or are a danger to livestock.

There is a larger problem that has to be addressed if we want to see a change from animal-based to plant-based agriculture. Historically, the biggest criticism of the farm subsidy system has been that, since about World War II, agribusiness and its lobbying partners have pushed the "get big or get out" paradigm to the detriment of independent family farms. Prior to World War II, approximately 50% of the population of the United States farmed. Today the estimate is about 0.8%. Government money has been focused on commodities rather than communities.

This was the premise of the research Walter Goldschmidt began by looking at the socioeconomic impacts of large, very large, and absentee-owned agricultural operations on rural communities, rural economics, family structures, etc. His work has been carried on by people like David Pimental, PhD, and Thomas Lyson, PhD. Research has shown that, indeed, there has been a conscious consolidation of food production. To illustrate this, of the 0.8% of the population that farms, 18% of the 0.8% of farms produce nearly 70% of all the food in the United States.

What we desperately need is to restructure the farm subsidy program and grant moneys that are available to farmers to change over from unsustainable agricultural practices to sustainable ones. Think of it like the auto industry: when they want to make a new model of car, they shut down the plant to retool the assembly line to build the new model. Farmers don't have such incentives. A neighbor recently bought a new combine. It cost $650,000. He also needed a corn head and soy head for it; combined, they cost over $100,000. Most farmers are invested into very specialized animals and/or crops. Honestly, most American farms are invested into the monoculture of animals and plants. For them to restructure their operations, buy the necessary machinery, get the education, and have access to the technology needed, they require money--money most medium to small farms don't have. And those who would like to change over to organics are usually laughed out of the farm loan offices.

Today the money is in the futures market, and that is totally built on the backs of farm animals. The top six subsidized crops in America are corn, wheat, soybeans, sorghum, barley, and rice. Five of the six are livestock feed. This has to change.

I would submit to you that this is a moral argument. If we abdicate our moral responsibility to these issues, namely the environment, non-human animals, and humans, we are on a slippery utilitarian slope that will, in my opinion, be the death of all of us. We are running out of fresh water, we are losing our topsoil at an alarming rate, we are contributing to the degradation of the atmosphere, and we have epidemics of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and a general disconnect from the natural order.

We have many inspiring, intelligent, creative people waiting for us to listen to them. They have some of the answers, but we must have the ears to hear them. We won't hear them until we deconstruct our cattle culture and realize that peace, harmony, and balance are intrinsically bound to our choices. Do we let our base appetites dictate our choices, or do we critically think about a new day where all things are given respect, and all things have inherent rights? The right to not be interfered with by humans.

It is a challenge, no doubt. But if an old farm boy like me can do it, I believe anyone can do it.

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Photos: (1) Solar-heated greenhouse on Don Bustos's veganic farm, for year-round farming. AP photo originally provided by Don Bustos. (2) Don Bustos on his farm. Photo by Jerry DeWitt.