Not Giving Up Yet

General Mills and Marriott International have joined the growing list of food companies calling for the elimination of gestation stalls. All in all, there are now over fifty companies that have announced such a decision. Pork producers however are not yet ready to cave to the pressure. The National Pork Producers Council has put forth a strong effort over the last several months to communicate with retailers, and explain to them that there are several good systems out there for raising pigs, all which produce high quality pork. These efforts have met with some success, and there is hope that modifications will be made to at least some retailers’ prior announcements calling for the elimination of gestation stalls. The National Pork Producers Council continues to be active in Washington D.C. monitoring legislation that targets livestock housing; holding firm with the belief that producers should have the freedom to operate their farms in the best way that they see fit. It goes without saying that livestock producers should be accountable for what happens on their farm, but should that really be in the form of on farm third party audits and heavily mandated federal legislation?