{"id":3644,"date":"2026-10-29T12:59:28","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T04:59:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.joykou.com\/blog\/?p=3644"},"modified":"2026-10-29T12:59:28","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T04:59:28","slug":"are-there-any-international-agreements-regarding-gestation-crate-use-4f2f-05f25f","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.joykou.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/29\/are-there-any-international-agreements-regarding-gestation-crate-use-4f2f-05f25f\/","title":{"rendered":"Are there any international agreements regarding gestation crate use?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve spent any time in the swine industry\u2014whether as a farmer, a feed supplier, or an equipment provider\u2014you\u2019ve likely heard the debates around gestation crates. For more than a decade, these metal enclosures have been a flashpoint between animal welfare advocates, producers, and businesses that rely on consistent, sustainable pork supplies. As someone who\u2019s been in the gestation crate supply industry for 18 years, I get asked one question more than any other: Are there any real international agreements regulating their use? The short answer is yes, but it\u2019s a lot more nuanced than most headlines make it out to be. Gestation Crate<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start by setting the basics: gestation crates are narrow, individual enclosures used to house breeding sows during the 114 days of their pregnancy. Producers use them to prevent fighting between sows, reduce injury from rough housing, and make it easier to manage feed and health checks. For many small-scale farms and even some larger operations, they\u2019re seen as a tool to balance animal well-being with operational stability. But that balance has shifted dramatically as public demand for more humane animal products grows, driving both regulatory action and industry-wide change.<\/p>\n

When it comes to international agreements, there\u2019s no single global treaty that outlaws or mandates gestation crate use. Instead, regulation is piecemeal, shaped by regional animal welfare standards, trade rules, and non-binding industry accords. Let\u2019s break down the most impactful frameworks, and how they affect suppliers like me.<\/p>\n

First, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE) is a key player here. WOAH sets international animal health and welfare standards that many countries reference when writing their own national laws. In 2019, WOAH updated its Terrestrial Animal Health Code, which includes guidelines for the housing of pregnant pigs. The standard recommends that \u201cgroup housing should be provided for pregnant sows from four weeks after service, except in cases where individual housing is necessary for animal health, safety, or welfare reasons.\u201d That\u2019s not a ban on gestation crates, but it signals a global shift toward group housing as the preferred practice, and it\u2019s become a benchmark for countries looking to align their animal welfare rules with international norms. For suppliers, that means we can\u2019t just stock crates designed for decades-old standards anymore\u2014we have to adapt to models that can coexist with WOAH\u2019s guidelines, like crates that allow more movement, or temporary crates used only during high-risk periods.<\/p>\n

Next, regional trade agreements have become major drivers of change. The European Union (EU) is the furthest along: since 2013, it\u2019s banned individual gestation crates for pregnant sows except for the first four weeks after breeding and the week before farrowing (when sows need to be separated to avoid stress). That\u2019s a hard ban, not a guideline, and it applies to all pork sold within the EU, regardless of where it\u2019s produced. So if a farm in the U.S. wants to export pork to the EU, it can no longer use standard gestation crates. That\u2019s reshaped the supply chain: many of our European clients have switched to group housing systems, but some still need transitional crate solutions to meet the EU\u2019s narrow exceptions, and we\u2019ve had to redesign our products to fit those exact requirements.<\/p>\n

Outside the EU, other regions are following suit. In 2022, the Mercosur bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay) agreed to adopt WOAH\u2019s gestation crate guidelines, with a 10-year phase-out of standard crates starting in 2024. That\u2019s a huge deal, because Mercosur is one of the world\u2019s largest pork exporters. In North America, there\u2019s no federal international agreement mandating a ban, but the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) includes a chapter on animal welfare that encourages alignment with WOAH standards, and many large retailers in the three countries\u2014like Walmart and Costco\u2014have pledged to eliminate gestation crates from their supply chains by 2025. In Australia, the government\u2019s Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals states that gestation crates \u201cshould not be used as a routine housing system\u201d and requires farms to phase them out by 2035. For us, that means we\u2019re already working with Canadian and Australian clients to source equipment that supports gradual transitions, rather than full, sudden replacements.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just government treaties. There are also voluntary international industry agreements that are shaping practice, even if they\u2019re not legally binding. The Global Dairy Platform and the International Pork Coalition (IPC) both have guidelines that encourage members to phase out gestation crates by 2030, and many large pork producers\u2014like Smithfield Foods and JBS\u2014have signed on. As a supplier, we\u2019ve found that even in countries without formal bans, most of our major clients now ask for equipment that aligns with these voluntary standards, because it\u2019s easier for them to sell their product to retailers and consumers who prioritize humane practices.<\/p>\n

Of course, there are still gaps in these agreements, and that\u2019s where a lot of the confusion comes in. For example, the United States has no federal law regulating gestation crates, and some states\u2014like Iowa, which produces a third of U.S. pork\u2014have even passed laws banning local governments from enacting their own restrictions. That means many U.S. farms still use standard gestation crates, and our U.S. division continues to supply those farms with equipment tailored to their operational needs. The trick here is balancing compliance with global trends while supporting the needs of producers who aren\u2019t ready to make the switch just yet. We don\u2019t push a one-size-fits-all solution; instead, we work with each farm to understand their goals, their budget, and the regulatory environment they operate in, whether that\u2019s aligning with upcoming regional rules or maintaining current standards.<\/p>\n

Critics often point out that international agreements around gestation crates are too slow, or too vague, to make a real difference. And to an extent, they\u2019re right: there\u2019s no global mandate to phase out crates tomorrow, and many countries have exceptions that let farms use them for years to come. But what those critics miss is that these agreements are the foundation of long-term change. A decade ago, only a handful of countries had any restrictions on gestation crates. Today, over 20 countries have banned or limited their use, and more are adding rules every year. That\u2019s not an accident\u2014it\u2019s the result of international standards, trade rules, and industry collaboration that have turned a fringe issue into a mainstream priority.<\/p>\n

For us as a supplier, that means we\u2019re constantly evolving our product line. Five years ago, 80% of our sales were standard gestation crates. Today, that number is 40%, and the rest is split between transitional crates, group housing accessories, and equipment designed to make the switch easier for farms. We invest in research and development to make sure our products meet both animal welfare standards and practical farm needs\u2014like crates that are easy to clean, fit existing barn layouts, and don\u2019t break the bank for small-scale operations.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a producer, a farm manager, or someone just trying to understand the landscape, the key takeaway is this: international agreements are shaping how gestation crates are used, but the pace of change depends on local rules, consumer demand, and the willingness of suppliers and producers to adapt. For us, that means being a partner, not just a provider. We don\u2019t just sell equipment; we share resources on compliance, help navigate regulatory changes, and work with clients to build systems that work for their business and their animals.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, the debate around gestation crates isn\u2019t just about animals\u2014it\u2019s about balancing tradition with progress, and the needs of producers with the expectations of a global market. International agreements provide the framework, but the real change happens one farm, one supplier, one equipment upgrade at a time.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking to update your barn\u2019s housing system, need guidance on complying with local or international standards, or want to learn more about our range of gestation crate solutions, don\u2019t hesitate to reach out to our team to discuss your specific needs.<\/p>\n

Pig Feeder<\/a> References<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). (2019). Terrestrial Animal Health Code: Section 7. Animal Production and Food Safety. Chapter 7.5. Welfare of Pigs.<\/li>\n
  2. European Commission. (2013). Council Directive 2008\/120\/EC: Council Resolution on the Welfare of Pigs (Amended 2013).<\/li>\n
  3. Mercosur. (2022). Acuerdo de Cooperaci\u00f3n en Bienestar Animal entre los Estados Partes del Mercosur.<\/li>\n
  4. United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). (2020). Chapter 24: Animal and Plant Health.<\/li>\n
  5. National Pork Producers Council. (2023). Global Swine Housing Trends: Market and Regulatory Insights.<\/li>\n
  6. Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. (2021). Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Pigs.<\/li>\n
  7. International Pork Coalition (IPC). (2022). Global Commitment to Phasing Out Gestation Crates: Progress Report.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Qingdao Shengxin Metalware Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    Qingdao Shengxin Metalware Co., Ltd. is one of the leading gestation crate manufacturers and suppliers in China, providing the best quality gestation crate with competitive price. Welcome to contact our factory to place orders.
    Address: Wangtai Industrial Zone, Hungdao District, Qingdao City, Shandong Province
    E-mail: sale@sxequipment.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.sxequipment.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    If you\u2019ve spent any time in the swine industry\u2014whether as a farmer, a feed supplier, or … Are there any international agreements regarding gestation crate use?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":389,"featured_media":3644,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3607],"class_list":["post-3644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-gestation-crate-4281-06243d"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.joykou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3644","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.joykou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.joykou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.joykou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/389"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.joykou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3644"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.joykou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3644\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.joykou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.joykou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.joykou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.joykou.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}