A method for production of botulinum toxin, the method comprising steps of providing a first medium that is substantially free of an animal derived product and that comprises a protein product derived from a vegetable culturing a Clostridium botulinum bacterium the first medium under conditions that permit growth of the Clostridium botulinum providing a second medium that is substantially free of an animal derived product and that comprises a protein product derived from a vegetable inoculating the second medium with the first medium culturing a Clostridium botulinum bacterium in the second medium under conditions that allow production of a botulinum toxin, and recovering the botulinum toxin.