As far as I know vegetarians and more so vegans do not eat any animal products and those products where animals are involved or even exploited.Years ago before farming was intensified ploughing a field was performed by oxen. These are huge powerful beasts. Today most farmers use tractors for that job. However, here in my tiny corner of Europe, organic farmers still use this traditional method. How does a vegan view this. The food is definitely being produced by the exploitation of animals. I have no idea on how they are treated. Most of these vegetables from this region are exported to the UK. Obviously you will not know this when buying your vegetables, but if you did, would you still buy them.

It's hard to avoid things like this. Even in organic farming animals will still be killed in the process... I try to limit the suffering I cause on animals as much as possible, but clearly some things I cannot avoid. I think it would be very hard to find out about the use of animals in crop farming, since even vegetable box companies use a variety of suppliers and farmers throughout the year.With your specific example, I'd say that it would be acceptable if the animal was not bred and bought for this purpose, but rather a rescued companion animal that earns its keep by helping the farmer. If this is the case, then the animal would also have to be well kept and not forced into working... I hear horses and oxens can really enjoy work if they're not being coerced into it. And of course the animal should not be killed when it is too old to work, it should be given a good retirement in its best interests.So the ideal situation would be a companion animal who works for his keep and enjoys his work and is kept very well and not killed when he can no longer work. This I think I would support.But like I've already said, it's very hard to track these things and to limit your diet (and lifestyle) to farming practises with every animal in mind. I buy organic but it still results in animal deaths and the use of animals on farms, but everyone has just got to do what they can. I'm not claiming my veganism is perfect or pure, but a vast improvement on meat-eating and all I can do at this time.There is such a thing as vegan farming, which does not use manure or animal products at all. I am very interested in this as commercial farming concerns me quite a lot - use of manure, transport, packaging, taxes on food etc. I wish to be self-sufficient at least later in my life and practise vegan farming - growing everything myself without the exploitation of animals in any way.This is not possible for me yet, however, so I've just got to stick to organic crops for now.

I agree wholeheartedly with Rivers. We should try within our best limits not to harm animals. And going meatless is the easiest and fastest way to show our sincerity. To learn more about vegetarian, I recommend two useful sites in the sources. Or you can get a free e-copy of Erik Marcus' world-famous "Vegan-The New Ethnics of Eating" from www.ionehealth.comLike the elephants in Thailand - Thais used them in the past to knock down trees in the forests and earn wages in return. But it was soon realised that such activity actually abused the elephants and elephants were subsequently replaced with tractors. However, the Thais depended on these elephants for a living. Now they used elephants to provide rides for the tourists and they have become a tourist attraction, Is this still animal abuse?

Because it's not the meat industry, any and all transgressions get a free pass. Gotta eat something right?

If I was aware of it, I would avoid it.Countries that still use animals to till the soil should probably focus on feeding their own population instead of exporting food.

Hi
Thank you for share. Welcome to Vietnam. I'm glad to mêt you . best wish for you )