A spokesman for Wichita, Kan.-based Cargill Meat Solutions said a media report stating the company is phasing out its use of sow gestation stalls isn't true.
The Associated Press reported Thursday that in a letter to the Humane Society of the United States, which called on Cargill to follow Smithfield Foods' lead in phasing out gestation crates, Cargill explained it already has been transitioning to "group sow housing" over the past four years and has converted more than half of its production farms.
But Cargill spokesman Mark Klein told Meatingplace.com, "We aren't phasing them out. The article was HSUS's interpretation of our letter."
Asked to clarify that Cargill is not phasing out gestation stalls, Klein said, "We don't think we implied that in our letter."
Source: Tom Johnston on 4/13/2007 for Meatingplace.com