Swiss to vote on banning factory farming

Abstract

Swiss voters will decide on a people’s initiative to ban large-scale livestock production in Switzerland. The initiative, supported by animal rights groups, environmental organisations and the Green Party, argues that intensive animal farming is cruel, contributes to climate change, and exacerbates hunger and water scarcity. Critics point to the fact that over 80% of laying hens in Switzerland spend their lives in factory farms without access to open ranges. The initiative is the latest in a series of proposals on Swiss agriculture, including initiatives to discourage the dehorning of cows and goats, promote ethical food production and local farming, and regulate pesticide use. – AI-generated abstract