Swedish cows’ unique grazing rights are under threat
By law, cows in Sweden must be able to graze outside in the summer. In 2023, however, the Swedish government initiated an inquiry tasked with, among other things, examining whether the grazing requirement for cows should be upheld or not. Despite the advantages the grazing requirement offers for animal welfare, the result of the inquiry published yesterday still proposes abolishing the grazing requirement – something that Project 1882 strongly opposes.
When Swedish author Astrid Lindgren turned 80, the Social Democratic government at the time gave her a new animal welfare law as a birthday gift. While Astrid found the new law lacking in many areas, she was pleased that it mandated cows to graze during the summer. However, with yesterday’s announcement – that the investigation proposes eliminating cows’ grazing rights – something long seen as a cornerstone of Swedish animal welfare could become history.
– This is a sad day for Swedish animal welfare. Sweden’s animal welfare law states that animals have the right to express their natural behaviors, so the right to graze shouldn’t even be up for discussion. Yet, I am never surprised by what some decision-makers are willing to do in the name of profit-seeking, said Benny Andersson, CEO of Project 1882.
The grazing right means that all cattle over six months old, except bulls, must be given the opportunity to graze during the summer. Among the political parties in the Swedish parliament, only the Christian Democrats have actively proposed abolishing the grazing requirement, supported by major organizations like the Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF). Växa Sverige, a member of LRF, is conducting a study where 1,500 cows have been kept indoors for 18 months to study if and how animal welfare is affected when cows are not allowed to graze. They referenced the inquiry in their application.
– Anyone who has seen cows grazing understands that it is a part of their natural behavior and something they benefit from and need, whether they are kept tied up or in free-stall housing outside of the grazing season. This has also been demonstrated in research. Project 1882 is working to ensure that the grazing requirement is retained for all cows and extended to include calves and bulls. The grazing requirement should be developed, not dismantled, and it is clear that there is strong public support for this, said Benny Andersson.
What has happened is that the inquirer has submitted her report, proposing that the grazing right should be removed for all cows kept in free-stall housing, which accounts for eight out of ten cows in Sweden’s dairy industry. Whether the Swedish government chooses to proceed with the proposal remains to be seen.
– I now expect the political parties that care about Swedish animal welfare to raise their voices strongly, and I hope that the government coalition parties that did not push for this investigation will have the courage to put a stop to it now, concludes Benny Andersson.
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