Amadeus Schmidt wrote:
>
> But not for wild game. Even in large, rich and sparse populated areas (like the USA) at most a few (3%) percentage
>  could get a living of it. Or else we had to swich back to (or continue with) the human and nature despising mass production methods of (gene
manipulated) wheat or
> soy to feed to animals.

Aprox. 80% of the worlds known biomass (living things)was discovered in
the last 20 years.  It exists in the mid-ocean depths (500-1500 ft.) an
consists almost entirely of animals (no light for plants).  Several types
of insects out-weigh all domestic animals combined.  On land, for every
human on earth there are 900 lbs. of termites(very high fat) according to
the program "Nature" (PBS).

Hoofed animals are at an all-time low when compared to the last few
million years.  Mass extinctions at the end the Pleistocene altered the
mix of animals but had less effect than the recent plowing the grasslands
for monocultural production of such crops as rice and soybeans.  The
buffalo formerly found on the great plains outweighed all the cattle
production in the USA today.  If we had refrigerated rail cars during the
mid 19th century, they might still be there.  As buffalo can't be shipped
live, they had to be exterminated to make way for the cattle that could
and grain.  This transporting of cattle from Texas led Salisbury to
invent the "Salisbury Steak" (AKA hamburger patty) to take advantage of
this tough meat for his low-carb diet book in the late 19th century.

As a result of extensive agriculture what was four feet of topsoil is now
a few inches one hundred years later in the American Great Plains.
Scientific American had a recent article about how the same thing
happened to Greece during their "Golden Age".  What were the fertile
grain fields of Sumeria are now the deserts we all saw on TV during the
Gulf War.  The first enviromental movement in this country was started in
the 1840s as a reaction to the enviromental damage done by cotton
production in the south (save a furbearer-wear fur instead).

Parasites are also a problem with Agriculture.  The number one parasitic
killer of humans, malaria (140 million cases yearly) is closely linked to
rice production as it favors the life cycle of the mosiquitos that carry
it.  Rice paddies are also considered vital to the evolution of influenza
virus (500 million cases yearly)as it travels from waterfowl to humans in
SE Asia.

The University of North Texas (Denton, Texas)has an excellent graduate
program in enviromental ethics in their Philosophy Department.  Many deep
ecologist share the view that we should revert to our natural place on
the food chain (Tree of Life) in order to forstall the dangers of the
most enviromentally damaging industry on earth - Agriculture!

Ray Audette
Author "NeanderThin:A Caveman's Guide to Nutrition"
Now ranked #1690 on Amazon.com's bestseller list
(Damn, these Texans like to bragg!)