Swiss Reject Initiative to Ban Factory Farming

Swiss Reject Initiative to Ban Factory Farming
Some of the 18,000 Lohmann Classic laying hens of the Gallipool Frasses farm in the stalling area ahead of a vote to ban factory farming in Les Montets, Switzerland, on Sept. 16, 2022. Denis Balibouse/Reuters
Reuters
Updated:

GENEVA—Swiss voters on Sunday rejected a proposal to ban factory farming in a referendum on whether the wealthy country’s strict animal welfare laws need to be tightened yet further.

The government’s VoteInfo App showed a provisional result of 62.86 percent of votes against the proposal, put to a referendum under the Swiss system of direct democracy, to make protecting the dignity of farm animals such as cattle, chickens, and pigs a constitutional requirement.