Switzerland: A proposal to ban factory farming rejected

Swiss voters disagreed on Sunday with a proposal to ban factory farming in a referendum on toughening tough animal protection laws. According to the provisional results published, 62.86% of voters opposed the proposal submitted to the referendum under the Swiss direct democracy system. This proposal sought to enshrine the protection of the dignity of farm animals, such as cattle or chickens, in the constitution. “I voted against,” said Geneva resident Fabrice Drouin. “Some farmers practice intensive farming, but respect animal welfare. To feed the population, it is necessary to resort to factory farming, even if only on a small scale, otherwise we will no longer be able to consume meat. » The agriculture proposal would have forced the government to introduce stricter rules on animal care, including access to the outdoors, as well as slaughter methods. The measures would also have covered imported animals and animal products. The Swiss government ...