Europefrom2013,exceptduringthefirstfourweeksofthe
sow’s pregnancy.
When Europewas debating and legislating these changes,
thereseemednoprospectofanysimilarlawsgettingthrough
theU.S.Congress,orindeedanywhereelseintheU.S.The
firstsignofchangewasa 2002 initiativebyanimalwelfare
groupsthatputapropositionontheballotinFloridatoban
crates for pregnant sows. Florida is far from the most
progressivestateinthecountryforanimalwelfareissues,but
theproposalpassedwithaclearmajority.Fouryearslater,the
sameissuecameupinArizona,whereabanonvealcrates
wasaddedtotheproposalaswell.Again,thevotersapproved
the measure by a solid margin.
TheArizonaresultsentasignaltoproducers.Justonemonth
later,thetwolargestproducersofvealintheU.S.promisedto
getrid ofveal crates within twoto three years. Then the
largestpigproducersintheU.S.andCanadaannouncedthat
theywould,over thenexttenyears, phaseout sow crates.
Explaining this move, the U.S. producer, Smithfield,
mentionedtheviewsofitscustomers,ofwhomMcDonald’s
is among the largest. McDonald’s, which welcomed the
decision,hadformanyyearsbeenindiscussionwithanimal
activists about reducing the suffering of the animals from
which its products come. Other big pork producers soon
followed.In2007,Oregonbecamethefirststatetolegislate
tobansowcratesratherthanhavetheissueputtoapopular
vote,andthefollowingyear,Coloradolegislatedtobanboth
sowand vealcrates.Afterdecades ofresistingcriticism of
individual crates for veal calves, the American Veal
Associationresolvedtorecommendthatitsmembersconvert
to more welfare-friendly group housing by 2017.