I wasn’t quite sure where to put this one, So I’ll try to phrase it carefully to avoid getting a discussion on moral type issues.
Many of the strict vegetarians, usually vegan,I know will also eat only Organic grown food. But I was wondering what Organic food really means, I always assumed it meant natural fertilizer. And the only organic fertilizer I’ve ever heard of is manure. I also assumed that the manure came mostly from feedlot type places. The feedlot type places usually existing because of meat comsumption. So my question is, are organically grown vegetables dependant on the meat industry? and is scientifically possible to feed the current population of the earth without non-organic means.(The link between those two questions being that the extra fertilizer as a by product of another industry can allow the relatively small number of organic only people to eat enough, but could it work as a main food source.)
It’s a common misconception that manure is the only fertilizer used in orgainic farming. Any naturally occuring substance can be used, as I understand it. Many of the best organic fertilizers do come from animals (dried blood, bone meal, fish meal, manure), but there are also good non-animal sources. Dried seaweed is a better source of nitrogen than cow manure. Cottonseed meal, composted legumes, wood ashes, and rock phosphate are all good fertilizers.
Feeding the world population entirely with organic means would prove difficult at best, but probably not impossible. Organic yields are considerably lower, meaning much more land would have to be put to the plow.