[1] Organic meat: organic animals are typically raised for a period on pasture. However, most standards require just 120 days per year / meaning the remaining 2/3 of their life can be in an organic feedlot in separated cubicles to prevent the need for antibiotics. Organic farming also permits the use of organically certified fertilisers and pesticides on crops, which can be overused as destructively as chemical farming.  According to the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy, the top two organic fungicides are used at over double the rate / acre that the synthetic alternatives were. Organic farmers can till which breaks the soil structure and microbiology, causing compaction, erosion and loss of nutrients, water and carbon.
 

[2] Our soil: We have lost 33% of our arable land in the past 40 years. The historical loss of carbon from agriculture globally is more than has been caused by all our other activities, including burning fossil fuels.  We use 10 times more energy to produce our food than the food contains and we are raising unhappy, unhealthy animals and producing nutrient poor food. However, agriculture has the unique capacity not only to reduce its carbon emissions but to draw carbon, water & nutrients down from the atmosphere and store it back in the soil - where it should have been all along.

[3] Ruminants are designed to process cellulose in grass; eating maize causes them significant discomfort and severe health problems.

*What’s the deal with GMO and glyphosate? Since animal feed occupies around 36% of the world’s crop land, it’s arguably more important for the planet that our animal feed is farmed well than the crops we eat. GM is genetically modified grain which has been grown in order to resist large doses of the very toxic pesticide roundup/glyphosate. Therefore, GM free grain is grain that is not glyphosate resistant, which means less glyphosate can be used in the growing of that grain, which means the soil biology is more likely (but not guaranteed) to sustain carbon, nutrient and water retention.

**What’s the deal with crating sows? Most pig farms in South Africa put sows in restrictive crates for much of their adult lives:

• Mating crate: When being inseminated to ensure the temperature and stress levels are reduced for conception. A mating stall allows the female breeding pig to stand up or lie down but prevents her from turning around.
• Sow Crate: Same as a bove during gestation up to 115 days to avoid the risk of miscarriage due to fights.
• Farrowing crate: Pigs have been bred in crates for many generations and now find it very difficult to look after their babies without squashing them.  Sows crated until piglets are 6 weeks / big enough to run away. Sows unable to exercise their maternal instincts. 
• And repeat: Often post farrowing crate sows will be put straight back into the mating crate and the cycle will continue for 6 /7 gestations before the sow is killed herself.

NB Some of our farms often get around this situation by only buying in weaners from commercial operations.