Swiss to vote on proposal to ban intensive livestock farming
© Aquapix/Adobe Stock Swiss citizens will vote on Sunday 25 September whether to ban intensive livestock farming in their country.
Animal rights and animal welfare organisations have submitted an initiative that calls on government to ban intensive livestock farming in Switzerland.
The initiative was launched by Sentience Politics in 2016 with support from Greenpeace Switzerland, Four Paws Switzerland and the Foundation Franz Weber.
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ProVeg International, an international food awareness organisation that wants to transform the global food system by replacing conventional animal-based products with plant-based and cultured alternatives, is supporting the initiative.
It is advocating a transition to plant-based diets and is pushing for a 50% reduction in global meat consumption by 2040.
The text of the initiative states that the federal government would have to set more strict minimum requirements for animal-friendly housing and care, access to the outdoors, slaughtering practices and the maximum group size per pen.
It would mean all farms, no matter what size, would have to comply with organic certification rules under the Bio Suisse standards for 2018 as a minimum in their animal husbandry.
The requirements would also apply to the import of animals and animal products as well as foods with ingredients of animal origin.
‘Factory farming’ claims
Jasmijn de Boo, vice-president of ProVeg International, claimed that “factory farming” is responsible for agricultural run-off and mass river pollution, compacted soil and greenhouse gases, as well as increased risk in antimicrobial resistance and crops wasted on animal feed.
“Factory farming should no longer be tolerated today not only because of the suffering it causes to animals but also because of its huge environmental impact,” she added.
The vote follows a petition that called for a ban on “factory farming” and attracted more than 100,000 signatures.
In Switzerland, any petition that collects more than 100,000 signatures nationwide within an 18-month period has the right to be voted on under federal government law.