Conscious Choices

Lisa says some proponents of Proposition 2 believe it's cruel to keep a sow in a stall for most of her life, but John says his hogs seem content and comfortable. "I understand that some people have some concerns about gestation stalls. A sow really is looking for food and water and a quiet place to sleep. If we put her out in a pasture under a tree, well, that's the same thing she would be looking for," he says. "It's a little hard for me to determine what makes a pig happy, but they seem content to me."

If Kellogg Farm were located in California and had to meet the standards proposed in Proposition 2, John says his family business would probably fail. "I would try to make some adjustments. My understanding is they would not want [the sows] to be in gestation stalls, so that would be a major expense," he says. "I wouldn't be able to handle the financial demands of totally refitting the farm."

Matt says the legislation is not only bad for business—he also thinks it is isn't the best situation for the animals. "It's not in my belief that that's the best way to take care of the animals," he says. "In the stalls, the employees can safely approach the animal, give them medication. They're all individually fed so that we can control their diet so they're getting enough to eat. In a pen situation or other situations, it's a dominance factor. So it's first come, first served."