I suppose, strictly speaking there is an argument for it. Other animals are responsible unless the farmers/growers pollinated the plants by hand. But QI is like that, happy to be controversial if it makes entertainment.
If you can't have broccoli, avocado and butternut squash without manipulating bees, then i do agree those foods are not vegan, due to not being sustainable without animal labour (forced animal labour)
HC, does she avoid the foods grown by migratory beekeeping then or just apply a bit of common and accept it's taking it a bit far? I mean most fruit and veg is pollinated by bees anyway, so it could be argued they are an animal product.
It appears that vegans take a pragmatic view of this situation - farming is not possible without some animal destruction, they simply avoid the products that cause the most destruction.
In the course of my job as a supermarket assistant I had a conversation the other day with a lady who is a vegan.She told me that also her husband was a vegetarian.I asked her what what was the essential difference between the two and she told me that a vegan does not consume dairy products.I understand that this is due to the belief that cows and hens do not give their milk or eggs voluntarily.I expect the view on nectar may be the same.
Eddie, sure, QI is a comedy quiz but this is a valid distinction. Migratory Bee keeping could be considered animal exploitation, though the bees don't seem too bothered.
grumpy, my daughter doesn't eat dairy products because she believes that it involves cruelty to the cows and calves.
She won't eat honey because she believes that replacing the honey with sugar water (the usual practice in beekeeping) is not good for the bees.
Mainly she believes that people don't need to consume animal products to thrive
She has two very large rescue dogs which does feed meat to because she believes that is their natural diet although vegan dog and cat food is available.
Frankly one can get sick and tired of the preachings of vegans. If they want to feed themselves an unbalanced diet fine but no need to inflict their "holier than thou" attitude on the rest of us.
I agree it can be over the top. I've lost friends because they are vegan and they can't accept that i eat dairy. They feel i'm a plague on the world and that they're gods saving grace. They say horrible things to me and judge my diet and health constantly. It's well off.
Being vegan is her choice, millions of people around the world are vegan.
She does cook some meat based meals for us when we go to stay with her just as I cook vegan food for her when she visits me.
She certainly isn't 'holier than thou', simply does what is right for her. She's been vegetarian for about 25 years, vegan for at least 10 and is happy and healthy, and that's all that matters to me