Second Producer to Phase Out Sow Gestation Stalls
Canadian Pork Council supports Maple Leaf Foods' decision to move away from gestation stalls.
Compiled by staff
Published: Feb 1, 2007
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. announced Wednesday that it will phase out the use of sow gestation stalls. The announcement comes on the heels of Smithfield Foods' announcement last week of its decision to do the same.
Both companies plan to follow through with the initiative over the next 10 years in favor of group housing for sows on company-owned operations.
Clare Schlegel, President of the Canadian Pork Council, voiced support for the company's initiative in a statement. "Our industry recognizes that some consumers have expressed concerns about current sow housing systems, and the CPC remains committed to taking a leadership role in examining sow housing alternatives."
Maple Leaf says that although it believes the science concerning the benefits of sow gestation stalls is sound, it has studied alternative housing methods for some time and actively supports initiatives that respond to consumer opinion as well as the science, in making decisions about the welfare of animals in the company's care.
As this is an integrated industry in North America, it is essential these types of changes are implemented as an industry, including large U.S. producers, in order to uniformly bear related costs, the company says. In making this decision, Maple Leaf, the largest pork producer in Canada, recognizes that industry practices are evolving and the company wants to be on the leading edge of that change.
Source: Feedstuffs
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