Greens vow to keep up the fight against sow stalls

The Greens will not give up on efforts to alleviate the pain and suffering of pigs kept in sow stalls in intensive farms, despite the Government’s refusal to bring new regulations into line with an industry commitment to phase out the use of sow stalls by 2017.

Hon Lynn MacLaren, the Greens spokesperson for animals says “I am deeply disappointed that the Nationals and Liberal Party opposed the Greens motion to amend new regulations. The ALP’s principled stance to support the regulations because they simply reflected the commitment of the industry was welcomed.”

Sow stalls confine a pregnant mother pig (a breeding sow) for the majority of her life in a tiny metal crate required only to be 1cm longer and wider than her body. Pregnant females confined in sow stalls are denied the ability to turn around, to exercise, or to express most natural behaviours. Ms MacLaren’s motion to amend the proposed Government animal welfare regulations, in order to ban sow stalls in WA by 2017, was defeated in Parliament this week.

“Since 1980 the pig meat industry has been on notice that keeping pregnant pigs tightly confined in stalls was unacceptable on animal welfare grounds. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that sows housed using group housing systems no less productive than those housed in sow stalls,” said Ms MacLaren.

“The market, which is quicker to react than agribusiness, is shrinking for pig meat produced under these archaic conditions,” Ms MacLaren added.

“Pig farmers who use sow stalls are running out of excuses. Yet the Minister for Agriculture has chosen to prop them up by delivering regulations which permit the unlimited use of sow stalls. Even after 2017 pregnant pigs may be confined for up to 6 weeks in stalls just 1cm larger than their heavily pregnant bodies,’ said Ms MacLaren.

Ms MacLaren is concerned that, given the industry backlash at her attempts to ban sow stalls by 2017, its promises to voluntarily phase out sow stalls by 2017 may be empty. This makes strong regulations more necessary than ever.

“The free range piggeries must be commended for their foresight and commitment to change. The Government has abandoned them by failing to regulate against the use of sow stalls,” said Ms MacLaren.

“More importantly, the Government and the Nationals have supported continuing cruelty in the pig industry through their opposition to changing the regulations now,” Ms MacLaren concluded.

Read Lynn’s speech to change regulations to ban sow stalls from 2017.

Photo courtesy of Animal Rights Advocates Inc.