We’re thrilled to announce a huge win for farmed animals with the passage of legislation that bans the intensive confinement of mother pigs and calves raised for veal in New Jersey with Gov. Phil Murphy signing A1970/S1298 into law. 

The bill, sponsored by Sens. Vin Gopal and Nick Scutari and Assemblymembers Raj Mukherji, Daniel Benson, and Carol Murphy, prevents the use of gestation crates for sows and veal crates for calves and will impose penalties for violators.

This is a long-awaited victory. We have supported activists working to end extreme animal confinement on New Jersey farms for 5 years, but it has taken more than 13 years. Today marks a momentous victory for animals and we are grateful to Gov. Murphy for signing this important animal protection law. Now, pigs and cows in New Jersey will be able to turn around, groom themselves and their babies, and simply see each other.

The practice of confining mother sows and calves raised for veal in crates so small they can’t enjoy the simple luxury of even being able to turn around is accepted as standard. However, this type of extreme and prolonged confinement is considered to be one of the worst forms of cruelty inflicted on farmed animals today.

There’s no shortage of scientific evidence suggesting pigs are incredibly intelligent and social animals with cognitive abilities that rival that of a three-year-old child and that confining them this way causes severe physical and psychological disorders.

Male calves, who are considered nothing more than a byproduct, also suffer tremendously in veal crates.

We are grateful to thousands of In Defense of Animals supporters in New Jersey who have been tirelessly supporting this bill for many years. This is a huge victory, but we will not rest until extreme confinement is banned in all states. We urgently need to end the abuse of farmed animals and build a more humane and sustainable plant-based food system.

Learn how we help farmed animals and please consider making a donation to support our work. Resolve to not be part of the problem. Thank you for caring.