The Ministry of Agriculture has announced to agricultural organizations a moratorium on the new animal welfare regulations for pigs, which were scheduled to come into effect on March 9, following protests from both farmers and requests from the governments of the Generalitat of Catalonia and Aragon, the two leading regions in production.
Both regions had submitted a proposal to the central government to modify the Royal Decree on Animal Welfare with the aim of relaxing some requirements. The proposal had been developed jointly by both regions because they represent 60% of pork production in Spain as a whole, the Ministry of Agriculture reported yesterday.
Points Questioned by the Sector
Among other points, the now suspended Royal Decree stipulated that a fattened animal weighing between 85 and 110 kilos must have a surface area of at least 0.74 square meters, compared to the 0.65 square meters in the regulations in force until now.
In addition to the space available per animal, the royal decree included other aspects, such as environmental conditions, nursing requirements, feeding and drinking, and requirements regarding enrichment materials.
The greatest controversy arose from the surface area requirements, as they required significant investments from farmers or a reduction in their herds. However, even if producers chose to undertake farm renovations or expansions to comply with the new royal decree, they could find it impossible because it conflicted with other regulations, such as those regarding distances between farms or urban planning regulations established by local governments.
Information El Segre.
