UK Government Unveils Ambitious Animal Welfare Strategy Including Ban on Pig Farrowing Crates and Trail Hunting
The UK government is set to publish a comprehensive animal welfare strategy aimed at enhancing standards for farmed animals. This plan includes banning pig farrowing crates and colony cages for chickens, as well as outlawing trail hunting and year-round hare shooting in England.
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds described the strategy as the most ambitious animal welfare plan in a generation. The announcement is framed as a major policy launch ahead of the Christmas recess, with a No. 10 lobby briefing scheduled for 11:30 am and a summary of the plan published by DEFRA ahead of the full document's release later in the day.
The proposals have sparked debate among political and agricultural stakeholders. Conservative representatives warn that higher welfare standards in the UK could undermine British agriculture due to imports from countries with lower standards. Labour counterparts counter that the plan currently permits imports that do not meet domestic welfare standards, potentially weakening welfare gains.
Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers' Union, expressed concerns that production might shift overseas, risking food-price inflation. He referenced the historical decline in UK pig production from 80% to 45% of pork production and called for an import system that ensures imported goods meet the same welfare standards as domestically produced food.
