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All wasps by definition are predators / parasites of many different prey insects. There are a few varieties of larger wasps that are actually known to carry off hornworms and tomato fruitworms to feed their young after chewing them up. While browsing, the wasp will often skip past worms already parasitized by another species of smaller parasite. The wasp will hover nearby, "drumming" her antennae on the worm to determine if it is a suitable meal. Some smaller species are actually known to pace off the size of their prey.

Wasps have the ability to determine the sex of their offspring. They will feed their male offspring with the smaller prey insects, and give their female offspring the larger ones, because the females are in need of greater nutrition to produce more and fertile eggs.

Soil experiments

The "Soil Association" in England conducted an experiment after the war for about 30 years comparing the health of cows, chickens, and sheep fed organic and conventional feed on a farm that was divided in half for the purpose.

The experiment was discontinued in the late 70's because the crop yields in the organic half of the farm never really stabilised, but it still measured a statistical difference in herd health between the organic and conventional cows. The economic lifespan (number of lactations) of the organic cows was far longer than the conventional cows. The output of the organic cows was similar to that of the conventional cows even when they were fed less. Incidences of intestinal and reproductive cancers were much lower in the organic cows as well.

Anecdotally, the cows would knock down the fence to get to the organic pasture even when visually, the chemical pasture was more lush.

An England farmer's perspective

This excerpt helps to explain my stance that, while being vegetarian and vegan is something everyone should aspire to, the underlying movement should always be humanitarian. History presents limited options.

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Pigs have a definite role to play on an ecological farm. There are always surpluses of milk or whey (from cheese making), sometimes broken eggs and loads and loads of vegetable matter (excess crops or weeds). When the weather is reasonable they work outside (they are about the only organic means of cultivation that gets rid of "bracken"). But there is little financial incentive in expanding the numbers too much.

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Here's an alarming quote for you.

"Iowa already probably has no more organic food ... it is all covered in GMO pollen."