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The U.S. Gestation Stall Debate Lee L View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Digital Repository @ Iowa State University Economics Publications Economics 2015 The .SU . Gestation Stall Debate Lee L. Schulz Iowa State University, [email protected] Glynn Tonsor Kansas State University Follow this and additional works at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/econ_las_pubs Part of the Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons, and the Animal Sciences Commons The ompc lete bibliographic information for this item can be found at http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ econ_las_pubs/56. For information on how to cite this item, please visit http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ howtocite.html. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Economics at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Economics Publications by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The .SU . Gestation Stall Debate Abstract One of the most contentious and emotional issues in livestock production is that of animal welfare. The welfare of livestock in commercial production systems has been, and continues to be, intensely debated by many groups, including, but not limited to, consumers, animal activists, scientists, legislators, and farmers. Perceptions or misconceptions of welfare issues can have a dramatic effect on livestock production if industries respond by changing certain production practices, if governments react by enacting laws dictating how livestock are produced, or if consumers respond by changing purchasing patterns. A major economic issue in this area spawns from the fact that existing markets may not be well suited for solving the animal welfare debate and imposition of regulatory requirements on production practices could result in significant costs to producers and, ultimately, consumers who pay higher prices for meat. Keywords Animal Welfare, Economics of Legislation, Gestation Stalls, Pork, Swine Disciplines Agricultural and Resource Economics | Animal Sciences Comments This article is from Choices 30 (2015): 1. Rights All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced or electronically distributed as long as attribution to Choices and the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association is maintained. This article is available at Iowa State University Digital Repository: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/econ_las_pubs/56 A publication of the Agricultural & Applied The magazine of food, farm, and resource issues Economics Association 1st Quarter 2015 • 30(1) The U.S. Gestation Stall Debate Lee L. Schulz and Glynn T. Tonsor JEL Classifications: Q11, Q13, Q18 Keywords: Animal Welfare, Economics of Legislation, Gestation Stalls, Pork, Swine One of the most contentious and emotional issues in the U.S. swine industry, the legal framework underlying livestock production is that of animal welfare. The welfare provisions of animal welfare in the United States, and ad- of livestock in commercial production systems has been, justments in livestock and meat markets regarding animal and continues to be, intensely debated by many groups, welfare claims and protocols. including, but not limited to, consumers, animal activists, scientists, legislators, and farmers. Perceptions or miscon- Changes in Swine Production ceptions of welfare issues can have a dramatic effect on live- The number of swine produced in the United States stock production if industries respond by changing certain during the last several decades has remained relatively con- production practices, if governments react by enacting laws stant. However, animal production practices have become dictating how livestock are produced, or if consumers re- increasingly concentrated with the major focus being on spond by changing purchasing patterns. A major economic improved economic efficiency (Fraser, Mench, and Mill- issue in this area spawns from the fact that existing markets man, 2001; and Mench, 2008). Once dominated by small may not be well suited for solving the animal welfare de- operations that practiced crop and swine production, the bate and imposition of regulatory requirements on produc- industry has become increasingly concentrated among tion practices could result in significant costs to producers large operations. According to the U.S. Department of and, ultimately, consumers who pay higher prices for meat. Agriculture’s (USDA) 2012 Census of Agriculture, 63,246 The concern for animal welfare has particularly tar- farms, about 3% of the 2.1 million farms in the United geted the use of gestation stalls—also known as gestation States, had a swine inventory in 2012 (USDA National Ag- crates—by swine producers. Gestation stalls are metal stalls ricultural Statistics Service (NASS), 2014). Most of these that house female breeding stock in individually confined were large operations. Over 95% of farms had a swine areas during an animal’s four-month pregnancy. Pork pro- inventory of more than 1,000 hogs, more than 90% had ducer organizations suggest that the use of gestation stalls more than 2,000 hogs, and over 67% had more than 5,000 may facilitate more efficient pork production resulting in hogs (USDA, NASS, 2014). lower prices for consumers. The use of the stalls is deemed As the industry has evolved, swine producers have had as an animal welfare issue by some because the stalls limit to adjust the size, organizational structure, and technologi- animal mobility (Tonsor, Olynk, and Wolf, 2009). This cal base of their operations, or cease production (Key and perception has led to regulatory pressures and agri-food McBride, 2007). Gestation stalls were an experimental sys- companies considering moving towards policies restricting tem in the 1950s and, as farms remodeled and were built, the use of gestation stalls. gestation stalls became more common amongst newer fa- To understand the economic aspects of this ongoing cilities in the 1970s (McGlone, 2013). In 2012, 75.8% of debate, it is helpful to review the structural evolution of all gestating breeding stock (38.9% of sites) in the United ©1999–2014 CHOICES. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced or electronically distributed as long as attribution to Choices and the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association is maintained. Choices subscriptions are free and can be obtained through http://www.choicesmagazine.org. 1 CHOICES 1st Quarter 2015 • 30(1) AAEA-0115-063 States was housed in individual stalls (USDA, Animal and Plant Health In- Figure 1. State-by-State Initiative and Referendum Provisions spection Service (APHIS), 2014). These changes in housing—com- bined with changes in nutrition, health, and genetics as well as the widespread adoption of new tech- nologies—have also led to significant changes in productivity. The efficien- cy of the U.S. swine breeding herd continues to increase with the average number of pigs per breeding animal continually on the rise. The average number of annual pigs per breeding herd animal (including sows, gilts, and boars) was 20.22 in 2012, up from 10.32 in 1963. This tremen- dous increase in the average number Source: Initiative & Referendum Institute (2013). of pigs per breeding animal is due to Note: This figure shows only the general initiative and referendum provisions for a particular state, not the increase in the number of litters those only specific to animal welfare regulations. Every state has some form of the legislative process which allows the government to place issues on the ballot and so, therefore, is not referenced in the per sow per year and the increase in map. litter rates. Overall, producers have been able to increase pig crops while decreasing breeding herd as a percent Hour Law, passed in 1873 (amend- animal activist groups to pressure in- of the total inventory. ed in 1994), requires that animals, dividual states to enact animal wel- while in the course of interstate trans- fare legislation (Mosel, 2001; Uralde, The pressure for increased pro- portation, may not be confined in 2001; and Mench, 2008). duction efficiency is driven by many a vehicle or vessel for more than 28 factors, among them the drive to ac- Proponents of state legislation hours without unloading the animals quire export markets; the availability claim that stalls (for gestating sows, for feeding, water, and rest (USDA, of competing imports; the low mar- veal, and other farm animals) or cages National Agriculture Library (NAL), gins paid to producers because of the (for laying hens) cause cruelty to ani- 2014a). The Humane Methods of increased cost of product packaging, mals, while the opponents argue that Slaughter Act, originally passed in distribution, and marketing; tech- they are merely engaging in normal 1958 (the law that is enforced today nological innovation; and the high animal production practices (Rum- was passed as the Humane Slaugh- cost of skilled farm labor (Appleby, ley, 2009). The debate is intensified ter Act of 1978), requires the proper 2005; Appleby, 2006; and Mench, by the fact that, while all 50 states treatment and humane handling of all 2008). To remain competitive, pro- have enacted some form of legislation food animals, excluding chickens and ducers must continuously maintain prohibiting cruelty to animals, about other birds, slaughtered in USDA- or improve production performance. 30 states exempt “common,” “nor- inspected slaughter plants (USDA, Swine producers are reluctant to mal,” or “customary” farm animal NAL, 2014b). change from well-established produc- production practices from coverage tion practices unless they increase There has been almost no change under the law (Wolfson and Sullivan, performance or at the very least do in U.S. federal legislation related to 2004). not decrease performance. Any pro- farm animals in the last several de- In addition to the typical legisla- duction system that has a negative cades, even though the treatment tive process, there are ballot measures impact on performance will not be of animals in research, exhibition, to enact new laws or constitutional widely adopted voluntarily. transport, and by dealers has been amendments or repeal existing laws extensively regulated since 1966 or constitutional amendments.
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