Food vs. feed
Food vs. feed is the competition for resources between growing crops for human consumption and growing crops for animal feed. Competing resources includes: land, water sources, fertilizers, labor, and finances.
Part of the competition is the division of land. In many countries, livestock graze on land that is typically unsuitable for crops grown for human consumption or food crops. There is three times as much agricultural land as arable land.
The Food and Agriculture Organization utilizes the term food vs. feed in the livestock industry to compare crop inputs vs. protein outputs. For example, crops for human consumption require less land and other resources than crops for consumption by animals that produce meat and dairy products.
Global Impacts
Global Greenhouse Gas Emission and Trade
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, global emissions from agriculture are outputting an estimate of 5.4 billion tons of greenhouse gases. Since the 1960s, international trade in feed and animal products has increased tenfold, driven by the growing global demand for meat and dairy products, fueled by population growth and the increasing popularity of animal-based protein diets. This trend has intensified the need to allocate more land exclusively for feed production. Additionally, the demand for crops intended for human consumption has risen due to population growth. Global trade in vegetables has surged 7.5 times since the 1960s. Beside the trade of crops, feeds, and animal products; the transportation of resources involved for the crop cultivation also contributes the emission of CO2. Resources transported include crop seeds, processed feed, fertilizers, pesticide, and other materials involved in the farming operations.Circular Agriculture
Circular agriculture is defined as a sustainable farming system that promotes waste cycling and resource preservation. Farms that exclusively produce food crops or exclusively produce feed generates excess waste that contributes to environmental pollution In a circular agriculture system, wasted food can be provided to livestock, which in turn feed humans. Not only can the food waste be redirected as feed, it can be composted into fertilizers to enrich the soil. Food waste utilized as feed causes a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as the process decreases waste disposal process and excessive feed production. The waste not only accumulates from rotten, unharvested, and expired crops, but remnants from the harvest such as stems, stalks, and other unconsumed parts of the crops. Resources for cultivating the crop such as manure, plant-based materials, and other biodegradable items will contribute to the landfill.Farm waste in landfills without oxygen would produce methane, a greenhouse gas that traps more heat than carbon dioxide. According to the MIT Climate Portal, methane captures 120 the amount of heat that carbon dioxide does in a given moment. Beside anaerobic composition of farm waste in landfills, methane is also produce from enteric fermentation and manure management.