Veganic Farming: A Sustainable (and Compassionate) Solution
O.pearl
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!
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.