End of gestation crates for JBS SA

The company, which is part of JBS, the world’s largest animal processing firm, said it will transfer the pigs to group housing systems by 2016. It has also said it will provide support for contract suppliers to make the transition to the housing system. “Seara has been investing in new projects and in adaptations with the objective of increasing production through collective housing,” said the company. “Today, more than 40% of its supply chain is compliant with this model.” Humane Society International (HSI), one of the world’s largest animal protection NGOs, welcomed the commitment to end what it calls one of the most abusive practices in animal agribusiness. “We applaud JBS for joining other major companies and governments that are moving away from the cruel confinement of sows in gestation crates. We urge the company to extend this policy to all of its contract suppliers,” said Carolina Galvani, HSI’s senior farm animal campaign manager in Brazil.” HSI revealed that in Brazil, most breeding sows are confined in individual gestation crates for virtually their entire lives. These cages are barely larger than the animals’ bodies and prevent the animals from turning around or taking more than a few steps forward or backward. JBS’s announcement came after BRF, Brazil’s largest pork producer, entered a partnership with animal welfare organisation World Animal Protection to phase out the use of gestation stalls for its sows over a 12 year period. The continuous confinement of breeding sows is planned to be phased-out in New Zealand by 2015 and Australia by 2017. The South Africa Pork Producers Organization expects to phase them out by 2020. Currently in the EU, US and Canada, gestation crates for sows can be used in the first four weeks of pregnancy but are prohibited after this period.

End of gestation crates for JBS SA

JBS SA, which owns Seara, Brazil’s second largest pork producer, has revealed plans to phase out of the use of gestation crates for breeding sows by 2016.

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