End the Cage Age for Pigs

Thank you sincerely to everyone who wrote to me about farrowing crates for pigs. We are a country that cares deeply for animals, and we have a proud and long history of supporting animal welfare. I am delighted to be continuing this legacy by supporting our Government’s new animal welfare strategy, which aims to deliver the most ambitious reforms to animal welfare in a generation.

I am especially glad that, as part of these reforms, our Government have committed to working with the industry to explore how to transition away from farrowing crates and into alternative systems.

As you may be aware, farrowing crates, which are designed to protect piglets from being crushed by the sow, restrict the sow’s movement, preventing her from turning around and performing natural behaviours, such as nest building. While there is already a significant outdoor pig sector (with sows giving birth freely), I know only 8% of the indoor pig sector in the UK has currently moved to alternative farrowing systems.

To achieve our Government’s goal of transitioning to alternative systems, I believe it is important we support farmers to move away from farrowing crates sustainably. That is why I support Government plans to launch a consultation on this issue, and why I support their commitment to work closely with the farming industry to explore how best to support a transition to alternative systems of farrowing.

More broadly, I know it is a priority of my Ministerial colleagues at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to remove the use of intensive confinement systems (like farrowing crates) to ensure that all farmed animals have a life worth living. This will be a vital change in our farming system, and I look forward to seeing this progress.

Thank you once again for writing to me to let me know about this issue. Please rest assured that I, and our Government, are committed to working with the sector to move all sows out of farrowing crates over a sustainable transition period.