The food minister Dan Jørgensen intends to improve conditions for farm animals in Denmark by earmarking 50 million kroner dedicated to bettering the lives of sows across the country.

The money is to be invested in the construction of more modern barns that will provide about 30,000 sows with more space and better living conditions.

“Sows shouldn’t be locked up behind bars,” Jørgensen said in a press release. “This is a common goal that the industry and animal welfare organisations laid the foundation for at a meeting for the pork industry last week. With the funds we will take the first step towards that common goal.”

Farrowing pens
The 50 million kroner initiative is five times as much as the amount dedicated last year and will be given to farms with barns or stalls in which sows are free to move about in farrowing pens. The move is expected to help end the practice of strapping the sows up in brackets and preventing them from moving.

Jørgensen went on to contend that animal welfare must go hand in hand with the industry’s ability to compete.

Farmers will be able to apply for subsidies to build a farrowing pen from the beginning of August this year.