Comments on: Smithfield Foods Phasing Out Gestation Crates

By: boxes_crates

boxes_crates — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:46:52 +0000

Thanks for information, I'll always keep updated here!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:14:05 +0000

Alex:
you’re saying that “studies” have shown that sows prefer not to be able to move for their entire lives? Right. By the way, I grew up on a small goat and hog farm, so I know that farmers do things for a reason. For example, the reason for gestation crates is “bigger profits, less work”.

By: Alex Johnk

Alex Johnk — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 23:10:24 +0000

What people who aren’t from a farming background need to realize is that us farmers do things for a reason. Crates are actually a better way to house sows. We are able to keep a closer watch on the sows. We are also able to care for their nutrion much better because we are able to individually feed them. In recent studies it has been shown that sows actually prefer crates to pens. So before you go bashing on crates and farmers in general, maybe you should get all the facts.

By: W. Hankle

W. Hankle — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:32:49 +0000

Smithfield’s decision is a significant victory for animal advocates—there’s no doubt about that. It demonstrates, in no uncertain terms, that big corporations are finally getting the message.
The animal welfare movement has worked hard to educate consumers about agribusiness’ cruelties and that work is beginning to pay off. Once consumers understand the atrocities implicit in the factory farming system, they aren’t bashful about voicing their opposition. This is what happened in Florida and Arizona when voters outlawed gestation and veal crates in their states; it’s what happened in Chicago and California when citizens spoke up and out about the cruelty of foie gras.
But it’s not time to rest on our laurels. Awareness of the problem is the first step in a hard fight to end inhumane treatment altogether. The root of the problem of factory farming is that animals are viewed as production units—not sentient beings. And that’s what has to change.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 17:41:39 +0000

I spoke to a staffer at PETA and they said they have been pushing this change for a long time (along with the Humane Society) and that they will continue to push Smithfield to make the change sooner.
Direct all your friends who still eat meat to http://www.Meat.org. It’s powerful stuff.

By: Craig

Craig — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 14:04:06 +0000

To paraphrase a great philosopher, you can tell a lot about a society by the way they treat animals. Changing the source of our food supply from caring farmers to faceless corporations like Smithfield has let us turn a blind eye to the realities of our unnatural man made food chain. Maybe phasing out these crates is the first step in recognizing that we need to remember that the meat you eat was once a living animal and that it deserves the same respect as any other animal. You wouldn’t dream of treating you dog or cat the way these factory farmed animals are treated, and pigs are as smart or smarter than dogs or cats.

By: Tom Pavlik

Tom Pavlik — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 11:00:38 +0000

I’m impressed with the achievement of those who made this happen. Anyone that interacts with animals understands how wrong this is. They are complex beings. I could not think of my terrier being treated in that fashion. Thank you for making just a bit more sense in an often senseless world.

By: Marc

Marc — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 02:59:13 +0000

The big buyers of pork have a tremendous amount of power, and I’m sure they could cause gestation crates to be phased out in a much shorter period than 10 years (that seems like a very long time to me too). Who are the largest buyers in the U.S.? Perhaps they need to hear from their customers that 10 years is far too long…

By: P Shapiro

P Shapiro — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 20:04:20 +0000

The first decade of the 21st century has seen major advances for farm animals so far—advances few of us would have ever imagined would occur so quickly. We’ve seen Florida ban gestation crates and Arizona ban both gestation crates and veal crates. California banned foie gras production and the City of Chicago banned the sale of foie gras. Numerous companies are refusing to sell battery cage eggs. Just three months after the Arizona vote mentioned above, the largest pig producers in the U.S. and Canada announced that they will phase out their use of gestation crates. As well, the U.S.’s two largest veal producers recently announced that they will stop confining calves in veal crates. Clearly, Arizona showed that the writing is on the wall and that intensive confinement of farm animals will end in the US.
For years the animal movement has been right on factory farming. Now, it’s not only on the right side, it’s on the winning side.
More can be seen on these historic developments at the web site of the Humane Society of the United States: http://www.HumaneEating.com