In an article by Associated Press , the Kansas-based company Cargill was said to be talking about 'phasing out' gestation crates in a letter to animal rights group the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
Reply
The letter was a reply to a HSUS call on Cargill to follow Smithfield Foods' lead to phase out gestation crates.
In response to that call, Cargill wrote that the company has already been in the process of transitioning to 'group sow housing' for the last four years and has converted more than half of its production farms.
Interpretation
However, Cargill spokesman Mark Klein said to the website Meatingplace.com, "We aren't phasing them out. The article was HSUS's interpretation of our letter."
Last month, Burger King announced it would increase purchases of pork from suppliers that don't keep their animals in crates.
In the states of Arizona and Florida, gestation crates are already forbidden. In addition, the topic is being debated in California, Oregon and Maryland.
Related websites:
• Burger King
• Cargill
• Smithfield
• Humane Society of the United States
• Meatingplace.com
• Associated Press
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