Countries are changing their food production and farming methods to accommodate the rise in plant-based living. Utilising a combination of ancient agricultural methods, natural processes and advanced technology, the quantity and quality of Vegan food are changing at a rapid pace. With home-grown food and abundant meat-free cuisine options on the table, there’s now something to suit all culinary tastes.
What is Vegan Farming?
Animal-free farming can be traced back to the days of Mesopotamia and the civilisations of Central America when farmers were focused on growing corn and beans. Vegan-friendly farming takes inspiration from these times and the ancient methods they used to cultivate crops.
This involves farmers becoming more aware of soil generation and knowing what to use on the land instead of convenient, animal-based fertilisers and pesticides. Much like our ancestors, a vegan farmer will utilise organic matter such as grass cuttings and compost derived from vegetables to assist the growth of their crops.
Vegan-Friendly Farming in Different Countries
The concept of vegan farming is slowly catching on as consumers continue to demand more from food suppliers, and following the pandemic years, we’re all becoming more conscious of the type and quality of food we’re putting into our bodies.
However, education and support for farmers wishing to make the transition to vegan farming are key. In 2019, there were only 63 vegan organic farms in the United States, 19 in the UK and Ireland, and 22 farms across the entirety of Europe. Governments around the world are advocating for more vegan-friendly farming to lower greenhouse gas emissions and promote healthier eating. But ultimately, the growth and pace of this change depend on education, subsidies, and the consumer.
The Impact of Vegan Agriculture
The impact of vegan agriculture on society is positive, both from a health and a climate perspective. It would lead to a healthier culture with less disease, thanks to the eradication of harmful synthetic chemicals and toxins in fertilisers and pesticides. We could see a shift to seasonal growing and purchasing locally which would make the system more sustainable. We would consume fresher food and it would become more affordable, helping to potentially eradicate food poverty around the world.
In addition, by changing our diets to a more plant-based way of living or excluding meat and dairy from our diets completely, we can help to reduce greenhouse gases in some high meat consumption countries by up to 70%. This will, in turn, make progress in slowing down climate change.
Also, we must not forget, the impact of more people following a vegan diet, is also a huge win for the animals.
In addition to vegan agricultural farming, new, innovative ways are being trialled to create new versions of plant-based cuisine, using a combination of growing techniques and advanced technology.
This revolution in plant-based food is being led by ‘The Silicon Valley of Food’, not based in California, but in the Dutch countryside, in a little-known area known as the ‘Vegan Valley’.
What is Holland’s Vegan Valley?
Holland in northern Europe, has in recent years, become a forerunner in plant-based culinary innovation. One of the major plant-based meat brands ‘The Vegetarian Butcher’ was born here in 2009, and today the Netherlands is the largest consumer of plant-based meat in all of Europe.
A ‘Vegan Valley’ has been created an hour from Amsterdam - a forward-thinking food tech hub with a mix of 80 local manufacturers, investors, and foreign conglomerates positioned on-site. This ‘Silicon Valley of Food’ is the largest agricultural hub in Europe - a vast space encompassing customer experience kitchens, sensory suites and food research facilities.
Leading the charge is Wageningen University with its own meat-free research lab. The centre’s food and research initiative works alongside corporations and governments to elevate and revolutionise the plant-based food industry. The Dutch hub has, to date, attracted companies such as Unilever, California-based food tech company ‘Beyond Meat’ and the Upfield Group which manufactures the Vegan cheese brand ‘Violife’. The investment by these already established companies into the ‘Vegan Valley’ shows that the move away from meat and animal-based products is set to continue, and further grow in years to come.
