As Congress debates our next farm bill, it faces a consequential question: Will animal welfare policy be guided by credible science and real veterinary expertise — or by a patchwork of state mandates that limit the ability of professionals — both farmers and swine veterinarians — to care for our animals responsibly?
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians is a professional association of veterinarians specializing in swine health, welfare and production. AASV comprises more than 1,300 veterinarians across practice, academia, industry and public health in over 35 countries and brings a clear and credible voice to this debate. We are the professionals on the ground — working daily with farmers to protect animal health, ensure food safety and advance animal welfare through evidence-based practices. Our message to Congress is straightforward: Flexibility grounded in science is essential to achieving the best outcomes for animals.
California’s Proposition 12 puts our guiding principle at risk by imposing rigid housing requirements for breeding sows and extending those standards beyond California’s borders by regulating select products sold within the state. While well-intentioned, such mandates substitute a one-size-fits-all policy for the nuanced, case-by-case decisions that veterinarians and farmers must make to protect animal health and welfare.
There is no single housing system that is optimal in all situations. Scientific literature consistently shows that both individual stalls and group housing can support positive animal welfare outcomes when managed appropriately. The determining factors are not simply space or configuration, but stockmanship, environmental conditions, animal health status and the specific needs of each herd. Removing tools from veterinarians’ hands — by categorically banning certain housing options — undermines their ability to respond to these variables and may, in some cases, compromise animal wellbeing rather than improve it.
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Recent commentary in Agri-Pulse has argued that gestation crates are inherently incompatible with animal welfare and that policies like Proposition 12 are necessary to address public concerns. But this framing overlooks a critical point: Animal welfare is not determined by a single input. Housing is one factor among many, and focusing on it in isolation risks oversimplifying a complex biological and management system.
Veterinarians do not dismiss concerns about animal welfare: They lead on them. Our professional oath centers on protecting animal health and relieving suffering. But they also recognize that welfare outcomes depend on a range of interconnected decisions. For example, group housing can introduce challenges such as aggression, competition for resources, and increased disease transmission if not carefully managed. Conversely, individual housing can offer benefits in monitoring health, controlling feed intake and protecting vulnerable animals. The appropriate approach depends on the circumstances, not a blanket mandate.
Equally important, claims linking sow housing systems to public health risks are not supported by scientific evidence. There is no demonstrated connection between housing type and food safety outcomes in pork products. The U.S. inspection system already ensures that only safe, wholesome meat enters the food supply.
Beyond animal welfare, Congress must also consider the broader implications of allowing individual states to dictate production standards nationwide. The Supreme Court’s decision in National Pork Producers Council v. Ross made clear that Congress — not the courts — is the proper venue to address the resulting conflicts in interstate commerce. Without federal action, producers and veterinarians face a growing patchwork of inconsistent regulations that create uncertainty, increase costs and complicate efforts to maintain high standards of animal care.
This is not just about pork. It is about preserving a science-based framework for animal agriculture across all species. If one state can impose production standards on the rest of the country for one commodity, others will follow — affecting poultry, beef and beyond.
Congress has an opportunity — and a responsibility — to act. By advancing provisions such as Section 12006 in the farm bill, lawmakers can restore clarity, protect interstate commerce, and ensure that animal welfare decisions remain in the hands of trained professionals guided by science.
Veterinarians are not asking for less accountability. They are asking for the ability to do what is best for the pig by using expertise and experience built on years of care and practice to make the best decisions for animals in real-world conditions.
Resolving the issues created by Proposition 12 is not just good policy. Rather, it is the only path to advancing animal welfare, protecting public health, and sustaining a resilient U.S. food system.
Harry Snelson, DVM, is executive director of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.