An undercover investigation by Compassion in World Farming (CWF), an animal welfare campaign group, found that sows are forced to spend many weeks in cages so small they can only stand up and lie down. The campaign team’s footage from 16 farms across Italy, Spain, France and Poland shows sows in cage systems, including those that supply premium Parma and Bayonne hams. Cages have been banned in the UK since 1999 and in Sweden, but their limited use is still legal in the EU, allowing sows to be caged from the weaning of the previous farrow until the end of the sow’s first four weeks. pregnancy. Last June, the European Commission promised to phase out the use of cages in all animal farms across the EU by 2027. CWF researchers claimed that sows on these farms were kept in the same extreme confinement as those on standard farms and estimate that 85% of sows in the EU are kept in these conditions. Sows are found in their own feces and urine, unable to feed their young and resort to abnormal repetitive behaviors such as biting the bar and chewing air, according to the report. Sarah Moyes, CWF’s senior director of campaigns, said: “Compassion in World Farming would like to see all food retailers, producers and companies make cage-free food production commitments.” The team is also sending its findings to agriculture ministers across Europe and urging them to introduce an EU ban on cage farming without delay. CWF said 8 million branded Parma hams are produced in Italy each year, 36% of which are exported. Just under half of all Parma exported is sold within the EU, but the UK is the leading export market for sliced Parma ham. The British Retail Consortium said UK retailers had taken the lead in demanding high animal welfare standards from all its farmers, UK or overseas, to reflect consumer demand, including across all sectors of pork production . However, Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said: “It is more difficult with specialist hams where the UK has a small share of a highly regulated product and the focus is on production methods.” Subscribe to the Business Today daily email or follow Guardian Business on Twitter @BusinessDesk Tesco’s animal welfare policy states that sows should not be kept on stalls. A Tesco spokesman said: “Animal welfare is incredibly important to us and all our pigs are reared to recognized farm assurance standards… As part of these standards, we do not allow the use of sow stalls in our supply chains.” Waitrose said it is working to ensure all its farms completely end the use of sow stalls by 2025. A Waitrose spokesman said: “Animal welfare is key to our brand. We have led the way in pig welfare in the UK and now want to ensure that sow stalls have no place in our supply chain by 2025.” Sainsbury’s does not sell Bayonne ham. A spokesman said: “All our suppliers must meet strict standards of good treatment and be certified under one of our approved farm assurance schemes, in addition to complying with EU legislation.” Asda said all its meat was sourced in accordance with relevant EU and UK legislation.
