The unlikely cause bringing liberals and conservatives together
Gestation crates, tiny enclosures used to confine pregnant pigs, have drawn criticism from both liberal and conservative public figures. State-level bans on the practice have been enacted through voter initiatives and legislative actions in several states, prompting the pork industry to seek federal protection. The industry’s Save Our Bacon Act, introduced in the Farm Bill, aims to overturn existing state bans and prevent future similar measures, sparking a bipartisan debate over animal welfare and regulatory authority.
- ▪Gestation crates confine pregnant pigs in spaces so small they cannot turn around, leading to physical and psychological harm.
- ▪Politicians across the political spectrum, including Mike Cernovich, Tomi Lahren, Nicholas Kristof, Nancy Mace, and Veronica Escobar, have publicly condemned the practice.
- ▪Voter-approved bans on gestation crates have been enacted in states such as Florida, Arizona, Massachusetts, and California, sometimes extending restrictions to pork sold in the state regardless of origin.
- ▪The pork industry, represented by the National Pork Producers Council, responded with the Save Our Bacon Act, a legislative effort to invalidate state bans and protect the use of gestation crates.
- ▪The Save Our Bacon Act was incorporated into the House version of the Farm Bill, highlighting a rare bipartisan focus on animal welfare issues.
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Future PerfectThe unlikely cause bringing liberals and conservatives togetherIt turns out no one likes seeing pigs locked in tiny cages.by Kenny TorrellaJul 1, 2026, 11:15 AM UTCShareGiftMillions of pigs in the US are locked in crates at any given time, and they’re in them for virtually their entire lives. Wendy Love via Getty Images/iStockphotoKenny Torrella is a senior reporter for Vox’s Future Perfect section, with a focus on animal welfare and the future of meat.“This is demonic stuff.”“It’s downright abusive.”“That sounds like torture to me.”“It’s inhumane.”It causes “physical problems and psychological anguish.”These are quotes describing the pork industry’s standard practice of confining pregnant pigs in tiny crates, called gestation crates, which are so small that the pigs can’t…
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