Measure would give food animals space, but farmers say room to roam may not be best

Tender veal cutlets. Sizzling pork chops. Savory omelets.

For a growing number of Californians, these meals are sparking a moral conundrum: Should they worry about how animals lived before their products hit the plate?

California voters will answer that question in November with a new animal welfare ballot initiative. If passed, the measure would require farmers to provide enough space for breeding sows, veal calves and laying hens to turn around and stretch their limbs.

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You really should read this whole article.  Towards the end you will find the farmers’ perspectives, and they raise some very good points about sustainability and repercussions of requiring that laying hens have more room to move around.  This issue is more complicated than it might seem, and there are lots of factors to consider, like how to decide what is ultimately most humane for the animals, and how to address the rising costs of food, and what will be most beneficial for the environment.

-Kitty Mowmow