Veganic comes from the words vegan + organic, so veganic agriculture is organic agriculture that is free from farmed animal inputs. While organic agriculture avoids use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and GMOs, veganic farming additionally avoids farmed animal byproducts including manure, fish emulsion, feather meal, blood meal, and bone meal. Instead, farmers enhance soil fertility through the use of methods and practices such as plant-based composts and green manures.
Veganic farming constitutes a response to numerous animal rights, environmental, and health concerns connected to animal agriculture. In rejecting the use of farmed animal wastes, veganic growing practices delink plant farming from the systematic exploitation of animals for food. Most of the animal waste used for soil fertility in organic agriculture is derived from factory farm operations, which are substantial greenhouse gas producers; veganic agriculture avoids directly subsidizing this climate-impactful industry. And, antibiotics that may still be present in trace amounts in farmed animal wastes are not introduced to veganic farm fields.