Gestation crates confine pregnant pigs for months, preventing movement and causing severe welfare harm. Phase-out campaigns have achieved major corporate and legislative commitments globally.
The gestation crate campaign is one of the most successful farm animal welfare advocacy efforts in history, achieving corporate commitments affecting hundreds of millions of sows across global supply chains. Sows in gestation crates cannot turn around, build nests, or engage in normal social behavior for months. Group housing systems that replace crates require better stockmanship but dramatically improve sow welfare. The campaign demonstrates that sustained consumer and advocacy pressure can drive major supply chain transformation.