Animal Policy International (API) is highlighting a
critical gap in the new pig welfare bill discussed in
Parliament today during its first reading.
Notably,
concerns about imports were raised during today’s reading,
emphasising the need for both domestic and imported pork to
adhere to the same welfare standards. This alignment is
crucial to help the Government fulfill legal requirements to
phase out the use of farrowing crates — a concern
currently unaddressed in the bill. It would also prevent
animal welfare gains from being undermined and assist
farmers in transitioning effectively.
Key Concerns
and Opportunities
Background: In
2020, the legality of farrowing crate use was challenged.
The High Court ruled that the regulations for keeping pigs
in cages were unlawful under the Animal Welfare Act and
required a phase out of cages.
Proposed
Changes by 2035 in the The Animal Welfare
(Regulations for Management of Pigs) Amendment
Bill:
Farrowing crates: Confinement time reduced from
33 days to 7 days.
Mating stalls: Time reduced from 7
days to 3 hours at a time.
Grower pigs: Space
increased by 13%.
Domestic and Import Parity:
With the EU moving to phase out cage farming and
apply standards to imports, New Zealand has the opportunity
to stay ahead of the curve by doing the same. This alignment
would provide practical support to farmers and ensure that
higher welfare standards truly benefit animals rather than
shifting cruelty abroad.
Importance of Import
Standards
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Current imports:
Approximately 60% of the pork consumed in New Zealand is
imported, mainly from countries like Canada, the United
States and some European countries that allow the use of sow
stalls and farrowing crates. New Zealand banned sow stalls
in 2016 after a public outcry.
A level playing
field: applying the same rules to imports makes it
easier for New Zealand farmers to transition to
higherwelfare systems like no use of farrowing crates,
protects their livelihoods, and ensures our nation’s
animalwelfare commitments are meaningful and not merely
symbolic.
In today’s first reading of the bill,
Jamie Arbuckle MP said, “We import 60% of all our pork
products from either Canada, or the US or from over in
Europe. While that might be an option, sometimes those
countries don’t have standards as high as those that we
are going to implement here today. So there needs to be some
consistency in the regulations we put around our industry
and the regulations we put on importers of products into
this country. This issue has as much appetite to be answered
through the Select Committee as the rest of this Bill as we
go forward”.
Legislative Efforts and Public
Support
Recent Legislation: In May,
Green MP Steve Abel introduced the Animal Products (Closing
the Welfare Gap) Amendment Bill, supported by a petition
with over 11,000 signatures, demanding that imported animal
products meet local welfare standards.
Public
Opinion: Over 80% of New Zealanders believe
imported products should adhere to local welfare standards,
reinforcing the government’s mandate to act.
A
recent report
also found many animal products come from countries that
allow practices like confinement of egg-laying hens in
battery cages, pigs in sow stalls and farrowing crates, and
live lamb cutting (mulesing) of sheep – all banned in New
Zealand due to welfare issues but still used by major
trading partners.
Mandy Carter, Co-Executive Director
of Animal Policy International said, “Reducing confinement
in farrowing crates is a good step, but more needs to be
done – especially given the High Court ruling. Several
countries have banned routine farrowing crates, and New
Zealand could aim for the same. We urge the Government to be
ambitious with animal welfare goals and apply these
standards to imported pork. This is allowed under
international trade rules and is crucial to prevent foreign
producers with lower standards from undercutting Kiwi
farmers. The public demands real, substantive change;
nothing less will do.”
Notes:
Animal
Policy International is an NGO working on trade and
animal welfare, calling for animal welfare legislation
(rearing, transport, slaughter) to also be applied to
imported products via unilateral
legislation.
Background
A farrowing crate is a
small metal cage in which a sow is confined for close to 5
weeks at a time, 2-3 times a year, with her piglets off to
the side. They have a negative effect on the sow’s
welfare, leaving them unable to move around, socialise, and
perform foraging and maternal behaviour.
Sweden,
Switzerland and Norway all ban the routine use of farrowing
crates.
The consultation on the pig code of welfare
was the result of a judicial review bought by New Zealand
Animal Law Association (NZALA) and SAFE, challenging the
continued use of farrowing crates for mother pigs. In 2020
the High Court ruled that the Minister of Agriculture and
the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee acted
illegally when they failed to phase out farrowing crates and
required a phase out of cages for pigs in New
Zealand.
The Animal
Products (Closing the Welfare Gap) Amendment Bill
was tabled in May by Green MP Steve Abel. The bill will
enable the Minister to set animal welfare standards for
animal products sold in New Zealand. The Minister must make
regulations regarding pigs and egg-laying hens within two
years of this Bill coming into force.
In February
2025, the EU unveiled its Vision
for Agriculture and Food where it recommitted to revise
existing animal welfare legislation, including its
commitment to phase out cages. Additionally, the Commission
stated that future legislative proposals will apply the same
standards for products produced in the EU and those imported
from third countries.
Imports
In 2023 (latest
stats from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)) the
primary countries exporting pork to New Zealand were the US,
Canada, Spain and Germany. The total pork imports added up
to 47,133 tonnes in 2023 , representing over half of total
pork consumption. The imported tonnage equates to
approximately 486,000 pigs every year.
Polling
shows 83% of New Zealanders agreeing that imported products
from outside New Zealand should respect the same animal
welfare standards as those applied in New Zealand.
Legal
advice details that under international trade rules New
Zealand can restrict imports that don’t meet its own
standards.
