Special Report
‘Stalls’ discussed, just not as much
Gestation stalls and sow housing, topics that have dominated discussion at World Pork Expo in recent years, did not receive nearly as much attention at this year’s event.
But the issue hasn’t gone away completely, as the pork industry continues to engage with pork end-users about their sow housing decisions.
Dallas Hockman, vice president of industry relations for the National Pork Producers Council, says many of the restaurants, grocery chains and other food companies that have called for the phase-out of gestation stalls in their supply chains are now questioning their decisions. He says those pork end-users are realizing that the conversion from stalls to open-pen housing is not happening as quickly or as easily as they were led to believe that it would.
And while none of those food companies have reversed their gestation stall announcements, Hockman hopes it may cause them to think twice before making future decisions affecting their supply chains.
Add Comment