Who decides how farm animals should live?

From Twin Cities.com: http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_20046803

By Tom Webb

02/26/2012

After decades of acrimony, the ground shifted this month in the debate over animal welfare.

First, Hormel Foods agreed to phase out the use of gestation stalls for hogs. Confining pregnant sows inside metal stalls has been an emotional and controversial topic - defended by farmers as protecting the animals, attacked by critics as being inhumane.

But now Hormel officials concede that consumers dislike the practice, so they'll end it - a sea change for the Austin-based company famed for pork products like Spam, Hormel bacon and canned ham.

Then an even bigger player, McDonald's Corp., announced Feb. 13 its suppliers must end the use of gestation stalls for pregnant hogs.

Meanwhile, the egg producers finally cracked, too.

They agreed to double the size of cages for egg-laying hens. Surprisingly, that deal was hatched by two longtime foes, the Humane Society of the United States and the United Egg Producers, who are now asking Congress to ratify the deal.

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