Read the report here.
CIWF U.S. released its first iteration of PigTrack, which according to the report is a “corporate resource that aims to highlight the importance of sow welfare, the state of the pork market in the United States (U.S.), and what leading companies are doing to improve the welfare of these sentient animals.”
This report is an excellent educational resource. PigTrack provides an overview on what group housing is, what gestation crates are, the length of confinement in gestation crates for mother pigs in the U.S., gestation crate legislation, and provides an overview of strategies to ensure successful gestation crate-free housing, how companies can build a meaningful animal welfare policy and much more.
Regarding state legislation, the report states:
“As of August 2024, 11 states have passed legislation restricting the use of gestation crates for breeding sows. California and Massachusetts have passed the strongest policies that prohibit both the production and sale of pork produced with any gestation crate use. California also requires breeding sows are provided a minimum of 24 ft2 of floor space per sow, surpassing the industry standard of 14 ft2 in crates. Meaningful language is important to ensure that no gestation crate use is permitted for breeding sows – regardless of their pregnancy status. Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Oregon only require group housing of breeding sows, so allow gestation crate use until confirmation of pregnancy. State legislation should also ensure sows are not moved to farrowing crates more than one week prior to their expected date of farrowing. For example, the current laws in Colorado and New Jersey allow the confinement of pregnant pigs in farrowing crates 12 and 14 days before the sow’s expected delivery date.”
PigTrack highlights several U.S. companies with meaningful sow welfare policies:
Applegate
ButcherBox
Campfire
Chipotle
Natural Grocers
North Country Smokehouse
Norwegian Cruise Lines
Open Farm
Royal Caribbean Group
