EU moves to ban animal cages for farmers

The European Commission has announced its intention to pass a bill by the end of 2023 to ban the use of cages in agriculture, including farrowing crates. This was in response to the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) "End Cells" campaign, which calls for a ban on cells from 2027.

However, the Commission promised to evaluate the feasibility of introducing a ban from 2027. Pig farm owners have warned that the deadlines put forward are unrealistic.

However, the European Commission is not going to abandon the idea and plan to give pig farms a transitional period. An assessment will also be made of the socio-economic and environmental impacts of the measures introduced and the benefits to animal welfare. European Commission officials promised farmers financial support.

In the UK, Defra (the government department responsible for the environment, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) said they were looking into the use of cages. Then the corresponding report will be published.  

Meanwhile, the UK's National Pig Producing Association (NPA) has warned that a 2027 deadline to ban all cages is an "impossible task".

The NPA works in conjunction with Defra to provide actionable information that producers hope will help guide public policy.

Group Chief Executive Zoe Davies said: “We have done a lot of work in the industry and with Defra considering what the transition to the new farming will entail, we estimate it will take 20-30 weeks per farm to transition. This will lead to serious interruptions in the supply of pork.”