Animal free agriculture rising in the UK

The case against eating meat has been gaining traction in recent years, for numerous reasons, explains Missoulian. Livestock production is responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UN, which has recommended that people eat less meat in order to curb global warming. In the UK, where the movement is strongest, there is even a "Stock-Free" certification program.

According to Lain Tolhurst, of Tolhurst Organics in South Oxfordshire, it is indeed more efficient. Not only that, his animal-free methods are good for the soil, he says in an article on the website stockfreeorganic.net. "Regular soil analysis has shown that we are steadily improving fertility especially phosphate and potash, due to the deep rooting foraging of the legumes. The soil fauna has improved dramatically with better health of the seventy odd crops that we grow for our 300 per week box scheme."

But many small-scale organic farmers, even ones who are sympathetic to the negative aspects of meat and its production, are nonetheless skeptical of the need to go as far as to remove animals from ecological loops that have existed for as long as agriculture.  "I'm not saying its biologically impossible to grow food without animals," says Montana farmer Josh Slotnick. "But I also don't think there is necessarily any moral high ground to doing so.”

While the majority of ecologically oriented farmers believe there is nothing wrong with incorporating well-treated animals into an agriculture system, it is difficult to find one who is OK with the fact that their sacks of animal-based powders come from CAFOs.