TRENTON, NJ – Coming off the heels of a ban on Menthol cigarettes on Juneteenth, New Jersey lawmakers are looking to ban something else.
A bill sponsored by Senator Vin Gopal and Senate President Nicholas Scutari was introduced by the Senate, aiming to prohibit the cruel confinement of breeding pigs and calves raised for veal. The proposed legislation seeks to prevent the animals from being confined in a way that restricts their movement excessively and denies them adequate space.
According to Senator Gopal (D-Gopal), “The practice of confining mother pigs and calves raised for veal, which is prevalent in factory farms, is a barbaric form of animal abuse that should not be tolerated. While the majority of our hog farmers do not engage in this method of confinement, it is crucial for New Jersey to join other states and countries in banning this uncivilized practice once and for all.”
In factory farm settings, it is common for a mother pig to spend her entire pregnancy and nursing periods confined in a metal cage known as a gestation crate or sow stall. These crates provide pigs with an area barely larger than their bodies, measuring about seven feet by two feet. Shortly before giving birth, sows are transferred to farrowing crates, where they can lie down while their piglets nurse.
“Pigs are well-known for their intelligence, sociability, and strong maternal instincts. Placing breeding pigs in gestation crates that severely restrict their movements prior to giving birth is an exceptionally cruel act that our society should no longer tolerate,” expressed Senator Scutari (D-Union/Middlesex/Somerset). “Ultimately, this is a matter of morality and whether New Jersey is finally willing to do what is right.”
The bill specifically aims to prevent farm owners or operators from knowingly confining a breeding pig or veal calf in the following ways:
- Preventing the animal from lying down, standing up, fully extending its limbs, or freely turning around.
- Preventing a veal calf from grooming itself naturally or having visual contact with other calves.
The State Board of Agriculture and Department of Agriculture would establish penalties for violations of the provisions outlined in the bill.
With a vote of 35-1, the bill, S-1298, was successfully released by the Senate.