A new PETA study entitled Rethinking Agriculture, authored by Prof Jan Wirsam of the Berlin University of Applied Sciences, showcases the transformative potential of animal-free agriculture. It argues that adopting vegan organic farming could revolutionize our agricultural systems.
The research highlights an impressive potential to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 84%, reducing them to 6.1 million tonnes annually. Moreover, the need for agricultural land could dramatically decrease from 14 million hectares to just 5 million hectares by eliminating animal feed production.
“Agricultural animal husbandry massively exploits animals, people, and our environment daily”
The study provides a detailed analysis of how vegan organic farming can transform the entire agricultural and food system, focusing on global warming reduction, biodiversity protection, and increased efficiency in using natural resources, while also reducing animal suffering. It offers actionable recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders.
“We must act now for a fair future in agriculture”
Lisa Kainz, an agricultural scientist and PETA expert, emphasized the urgency of reform: “Agricultural animal husbandry massively exploits animals, people, and our environment daily. With the climate crisis allowing no room for delay, we must act now for a fair future in agriculture,” she stated.
Kainz adds, “Veganic organic farming is a viable solution that can secure today’s food supply and extend into 2100. Every individual can contribute to this nutritional and agricultural transition by choosing vegan products, empowering consumer-driven, climate-friendly decisions that support vegan organic farming.”
“Veganic organic farming is a viable solution that can secure today’s food supply and extend into 2100. Every individual can contribute to this nutritional and agricultural transition by choosing vegan products”
The findings also underscore the economic benefits of such a shift, revealing that Germany alone could save over two billion euros annually in subsidies by transitioning to vegan organic farming, which would also eliminate all animal suffering in agriculture. Additionally, Peter Wohlleben, renowned author and forester, supports rewilding unused agricultural land. He notes that forests can cool the air temperature by up to ten degrees compared to farmland and enhance rainfall, demonstrating nature’s resilience even in nutrient-poor soils. Vacant land “should become wilderness, as forests on average cool the temperature down by ten degrees compared to agricultural land and it rains significantly more when there are intact forests. Nature’s ability to recover is possible everywhere, even on nutrient-poor land,” said Wohlleben.
Professor Jan Wirsam, the study’s lead author, and Dr. Vera Christopeit, PETA’s legal advisor, presented their findings to Dr. Burkhard Schmied, head of the Agricultural Production, Horticulture, Agricultural Policy department at the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), advocating for immediate implementation.
Further information on the study can be found at: peta.de
