November 30, 2010

Australian pig farmers to abandon stalls

Australian pork producers have agreed to voluntarily phase out sow gestation stalls by 2017, Australian media reported.

The industry claims it's a world first, after a vote at the annual general meeting of Australian Pork Limited (APL).

APL Chief Executive, Andrew Spencer, said removing the stalls will cost farmers up to AUD95 million (US$91.4 million) and there will be a round of meetings to brief state and federal agriculture ministers.

Spencer admitted there has been growing unrest among customers about the industry's use of sow stalls. The industry says they protect pregnant pigs from fights, but animal welfare groups say they are cruel.

"The vote demonstrates that the industry recognises the issue of gestation stalls has moved beyond the scientific argument of whether or not they are better for pigs," Spencer said.

The decision is unlikely to satisfy animal welfare campaigners or supermarket chain, Coles, which has refused to take pork from farms which confine pregnant sows in stalls after 2014.