Veganism Vs Animal Protein Consumption

Veganism is a movement with a growing social footprint that spreads its cause through activism and politics. Some social interactions of vegans have also contributed to the development of vegaphobia, especially within communities directly or indirectly dependent on animal production for food consumption. The European Union relies on small to medium-sized farming to feed its population and to sell surplus agricultural produce outside the EU. Small to medium sized farms are more easily transformed into more modern and sustainable farming units than large intensive farms. However, a reduction in the production of meat and food of animal origin (milk, eggs, etc.) would cause significant economic hardship for farmers. Currently, there is no EU policy aimed at reducing the production of meat and food of animal origin, nor are active measures being taken to change farming practices away from the production of animal proteins in line with the vegan philosophy. EU agricultural policy is mainly aimed at optimizing food production in terms of market regulation and protection of nature and vulnerable rural communities. It is also important to note that the vegan market in the EU is growing rapidly and should not be ignored.
The extreme opinion tendencies of vegans and their opponents have arisen from the diversity of opinion dynamics and the presence of individual "stubbornness". However, some people and professions are caught between opposing groups and opinions because they cannot afford to choose sides, or they would lose their purpose and mission. Veterinary medicine is one such profession. Veterinarians are tasked with protecting animals, yet most of them consume animal proteins. Veterinarians must also treat carnivorous pets that are fed vegan diets by their vegan owners, thus transferring the eating disorders common in the vegan community to the animals. These practices are also at odds with the vegan philosophy, as they can harm animals. The differences of opinion are becoming so great that they should no longer be ignored. Adjusting to these differences should begin with discussion, education, research, and policies based on reliable and transparent data.

Learning Community Activities

Upcoming Events

Past Events

EUTOPIA learning communities on Veterinary medicine: A Profession in Crisis

The EUTOPIA Section of the Slovenian Veterinary Congress 2025 in Grand hotel Bernandin, Portorož, Slovenia - 5^th of October 2024.
Lecture and Roundtable Organized by the EUTOPIA Learning Community: "Veganism vs. Animal Protein Consumption"

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Veterinarians are facing challenges related to the sustainable production of animal proteins and the growing role of domestic animals as family members. The strong polarization of opinions regarding the production of animal proteins for human consumption and the demands for more humane treatment of animals are raising ethical and moral dilemmas within the profession. Additionally, the veterinary profession is burdened by psychological and physical risks, along with low socio-economic status, which increases the risk of depression and brain drain.

The section of the Slovenian Veterinary Congress, experts will address the key challenges of the veterinary profession. The goal of the section and the learning community itself is to prepare veterinary students for these challenges and to help them effectively participate in public discussions about human-animal relationships. The broader public was als informed about the challenges the veterinary profession faces.

The event was also be available in hybrid form via Zoom.

Programme:

Modest Vengušt (UL) - Head of the EUTOPIA Learning Community: Veterinarius: A profession of ethics, sustainability and well-being for humans and animals

 

Federica Timeto (UNIVE): Contextualizing Veganism as Politics from a Feminist Perspective

Dennis Demedts (VUB): Angels of Mercy: Navigating Pet Euthanasia and the Emotional Journey for Owners and Veterinarians

We closed the session with a panel discussion. There were 104 participants in total, 62 of them were veterinary students.

 

• EUTOPIA DAY 2024

  

  Within the framework of the first EUTOPIA Day held on 13th of May 2024 also our lead prof. dr. Modest Vengušt presented the past and future activities of the Veganism LC to other member faculties of University of Ljubljana and EUTOPIA partners in The House of European Union in Ljubljana.

• Panel And Guest Lectures: A Look into the Flesh

This hybrid EUTOPIA event was held on 4th of October, 2023 on Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana and was  focused on the culture of animal protein consumption. The first lecture was given by Prof. Federica Marie Giovanna Timeto, entitled The Bodies of Meat. She shed light on the background of the animal protein industry from the perspective of a feminist vegan. Dr Timeto's talk was followed by a lively exchange of views and a question-and-answer session.

Dr Timeto's rather revolutionary views on society consuming animal proteins were later balanced by Dr Vengust's lecture entitled "Not exactly a traditional source of meat", which focused on the ethical aspect of being a veterinarian in a sustainable (vegan) society. This lecture was followed by an interesting debate and question and answer session.
Link to the video footage of the seminar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXD2Il2K-wM .

• A guest lecture by Dr. Elizabeth Tavella from the University of Chicago: The Politics of Milk

Hybrid session held on 5th of April 2023

Link to the activity footage: https://mega.nz/file/sspDzIDD#KvMn41R-M-VRCkBO_6T_fbMDuNXktYJj6CEwjLjYHx4 .

How to get involved?

(Students and Educators)

Contact the EUTOPIA curriculum team: Laura Šimenc Kramar (Laura.Simenckramar@vf.uni-lj.si) and Karen Triquet (karen.triquet@vub.be).

Learning Community Members

Lead: Modest Vengušt (UL). Email: modest.vengust@vf.uni-lj.si

coming soon

Partner: Federica Maria Giovanna Timeto (UNIVE). Email: federica.timeto@unive.it

coming soon

Partner: Caterina Cruciani (UNIVE). Email: cruciani@unive.it

Partner: Xiaodong Lin (UW). Email: xiaodong.lin@warwick.ac.uk

Accordion content

Assistant: Laura Šimenc Kramar (UL). Email: laura.simenckramar@vf.uni-lj.si 

Assistant: Leah Tam (UW). Email: leah.tam@warwick.ac.uk

Accordion content