SWITZERLAND- Swiss voters will decide whether to outlaw factory farming as part of a larger campaign that includes calls for the protection of farm animals’ constitutional rights.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for the people of Switzerland to lead the way in Europe and start to reform the outdated agricultural system.” Jasmijn de Boo, Vice President of ProVeg International, commented.
“Factory farming should no longer be tolerated today not only because of the suffering it causes to animals but also because of its huge environmental impact,”.
Animal rights and animal welfare organizations have submitted a popular initiative to ban intensive livestock farming in Switzerland.
But the government and parliament consider farm animals to be adequately protected under current legislation and are calling on voters to reject the initiative.
According to the initiative’s text, the federal government would have to establish stricter minimum standards for animal-friendly housing and care, outdoor access, slaughtering procedures, and the maximum number of animals per stall.
All farms would be required to follow the new regulations for animal husbandry, and these criteria would also apply to the importation of animals, animal products, and foods containing ingredients derived from animals.
De Boo noted that Factory farming is responsible for agricultural run-off and mass river pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, including the much more dangerous gas methane.
She hoped that the Swiss people vote to ban factory farming next as it would represent a significant in-road into the reduction of meat production which is very urgently needed.
“We urge EU lawmakers to look at similar measures restricting factory farming so that Switzerland does not face obstacles to trade and a level-playing field is created for all farmers, both arable and livestock,” she added.
Last year, The European Commission announced new legislation that will be introduced by the end of 2023 to phase out and finally prohibit the use of cages for hens, mother pigs, calves, rabbits, ducks, geese, and other farmed animals, with an aim to phase out all cages for farmed animals by 2027.
According to The Human League, Factory farms, sometimes referred to as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), are a contemporary industrial way to raise farm animals/livestock.
Factory farming is fundamentally an intense kind of agriculture intended to maximize profits while utilizing the least amount of resources.
Animals are frequently kept indoors for the entirety of their lives on factory farms where they are kept in close quarters in enormous numbers.
As of 2020, there are roughly 1.6 billion animals confined within the 25,000 factory farms spread across the United States. Roughly 99 percent of animals in the US are raised on factory farms.
Factory farms in the EU tend to be smaller and less intensive than in the US, meaning that a greater proportion of farmed animals are reared in cage-free systems and are generally subject to higher animal welfare standards.
Last year, The European Commission announced new legislation that will be introduced by the end of 2023 to phase out and finally prohibit the use of cages for hens, mother pigs, calves, rabbits, ducks, geese, and other farmed animals, with an aim to phase out all cages for farmed animals by 2027.
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