My vegan friends depend upon farmers markets and CSAs for most of their food supply. When you’re trying to make ethical food choices, it makes sense to get your produce directly from local farmers.

But recently I’ve noticed that many small, organic farms use fertilizers based on animal products. Fish emulsion and fish meal from the commercial fishing industry, as well as manure, blood, bone, and feathers from factory-farmed animals are often used in lieu of chemicals.

Although vegan, plant-based fertilizers do exist and a few farms specialize in vegan growing practices, it’s not the norm. If you’re vegan (or simply concerned with animal treatment), what do make of this moral quandary?

Do you seek out growers that use only vegan fertilizers? Or perhaps you accept that you can’t control every facet of your diet? Are you surprised that organic farms use by-products of the meat industry to avoid chemical inputs? Post your thoughts as a comment!

For more information on plant-based versus animal-based fertilizers, visit Fertilizing Your Organic Garden.

For more information on plant-based, vegan farming, visit the Veganic Agriculture Network and the Vegan Organic Network.

Image courtesy of Kaustav Bhattacharya via a Creative Commons license.