2024-04-042023/24:MJU11 · p.5MJUEnvironment & agriculture
Raising of broiler chickens
Animal-welfare requirements for fast-growing broiler chickens
What's at stake: The decision concerns the conditions for around 112 million chickens raised for slaughter in Sweden each year, and also affects chicken producers who would need to adapt production under stricter requirements.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether Sweden should legislate minimum animal-welfare requirements for chicken production - for example by phasing out fast-growing chicken breeds and requiring more outdoor access - or whether the current rules for broiler-chicken farming should remain unchanged.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motions on broiler-chicken farming. The motions are handled together with proposals on issues such as loose housing and grazing requirements, a context in which the committee consistently points to ongoing inquiries and regulatory reviews and sees no reason to pre-empt that work with new statutory requirements.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 2 (V, MP)
The reservation (V, MP) calls for Sweden to legislate the European Chicken Commitment (ECC) as an absolute minimum standard for broiler chickens, which would include more outdoor access and phasing out the fast-growing so-called 'turbo chickens' that today make up around 99 percent of chickens in Sweden. The reasoning is that the extreme growth rate carries a high risk of leg pain and movement disorders, and that around 3 million chickens die prematurely each year, which is described as systematic animal cruelty.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 2 by V, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/21/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | No | Yes 90/0/0/16 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/13/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | Yes 21/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 14/0/0/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | Yes | Yes 57/0/0/11 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 63/0/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2023/24:1094 by Markus Wiechel and Victoria Tiblom (both SD) requests 1, 2 and 4 and 2023/24:1525 by Rebecka Le Moine et al. (MP) requests 1-4.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:1094 av Markus Wiechel och Victoria Tiblom (båda SD) yrkandena 1, 2 och 4 samt 2023/24:1525 av Rebecka Le Moine m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 1-4.
Riksdag decision: The government should investigate how the rules for local smaller slaughterhouses can be simplified. This is what Parliament means and therefore decided to direct a formal request, an appeal, to the government about it. The government should also investigate what additional measures are needed to increase the number of small-scale slaughterhouses and mobile slaughterhouses, that is, movable facilities that are transported to the farm, where the slaughter is carried out. Parliament means that this would counteract long transports of animals to slaughter, as well as contribute to supporting local and small-scale agriculture. Furthermore, Parliament sees that it would enable animal husbandry in more parts of the country and increase the supply of locally produced food. The formal request was made when Parliament dealt with approximately 160 proposals in motions about animal welfare from the general motion period of 2023. Parliament said no to the other motions.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants Sweden to adopt European welfare criteria for broiler chickens and phase out fast-growing breeds. (V, MP) — Reservation 2
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The party programme states that all animal husbandry should be based on the understanding that animals are sentient beings who should be given a good life and the opportunity for natural behavior, and that factory farming should be phased out.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that all animal husbandry should be based on the understanding that animals are sentient beings who should be given a good life and the opportunity for natural behavior, and that factory farming should be phased out. Fast-growing breeds that cause bone pain and mass mortality in breeding directly contradict that commitment. Statutory animal welfare criteria as a minimum level, more outdoor time and phase-out of these breeds therefore follow from the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att all djurhållning ska utgå från att djur är kännande varelser som ska ges ett gott liv och möjlighet till naturligt beteende, och att djurfabrikerna ska avvecklas. Snabbväxande raser som ger bensmärta och massdöd i uppfödningen står i direkt strid med det åtagandet. Lagstadgade djurvälfärdskriterier som lägstanivå, mer utevistelse och utfasning av dessa raser följer därför av planen.
- animals are sentient beingsdecisive»All djurhållning ska därför utgå från att djur är kännande varelser« (party programme ↗)“All animal husbandry should therefore be based on the understanding that animals are sentient beings”
- right to natural behavior»de ska ges ett gott liv och möjlighet till ett naturligt beteende.« (party programme ↗)“they should be given a good life and the opportunity for natural behavior.”
- phase out factory farming»och onödiga djurförsök ska avskaffas och så kallade djurfabriker samt« (party programme ↗)“and unnecessary animal testing should be abolished and so-called factory farms and”
- unsustainable meat production»Dagens köttkonsumtion, som leder till klimatförändringar, skövling av regnskog och överutnyttjande av vatten,« (party programme ↗)“Today's meat consumption, which leads to climate change, rainforest destruction and overuse of water,”
The plan makes ethical animal husbandry a basic principle and establishes that the consumer perspective, not the producer interest, shall guide agricultural policy.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes ethical animal husbandry a basic principle and establishes that the consumer perspective, not the producer interest, shall guide agricultural policy. Statutory animal welfare criteria and a phase-out of fast-growing breeds that cause suffering to chickens follow from this. The plan also demands that environmental and sustainability considerations be built into production processes from the start.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör etisk djurhållning till en grundprincip och slår fast att konsumentperspektivet, inte producentintresset, ska styra jordbrukspolitiken. Lagstadgade djurvälfärdskriterier och en utfasning av snabbväxande raser som ger kycklingarna smärta följer av det. Planen kräver också att miljö- och hållbarhetshänsyn byggs in i produktionsprocesserna från början.
- ethical animal husbandrydecisive»och etisk djurhållning är grundprinciper« (party programme ↗)“and ethical animal husbandry are basic principles”
- consumer before producer interest»producentintresset, ska vara utgångspunkten för en politik där säkra livsmedel, miljöhänsyn« (party programme ↗)“producer interest, shall be the starting point for a policy where safe food, environmental consideration”
- sustainable agriculture and safe food»kraven på ekologisk uthålligt åkerbruk och säkra livsmedel« (party programme ↗)“the requirements for ecologically sustainable arable farming and safe food”
- consideration built into production»Hänsynen till miljöns krav ska byggas in i produktionsprocesserna redan från början.« (party programme ↗)“Consideration for the environment's requirements shall be built into production processes from the start.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme explicitly wants to strengthen the work against breeding that causes suffering to animals and states that animals shall have the right and opportunity for natural behaviour, which must guide animal husbandry.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme explicitly wants to strengthen the work against breeding that causes suffering to animals and states that animals shall have the right and opportunity for natural behaviour, which must guide animal husbandry. The election manifesto requires real animal protection with animals free from suffering and stress. Statutory minimum requirements, more outdoor access and phase-out of fast-growing breeds follow directly from this.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet vill uttryckligen stärka arbetet mot avel som kan medföra lidande för djuren och slår fast att djuren ska ha rätt och möjlighet till naturligt beteende, vilket måste styra djurhållningen. Valmanifestet kräver ett verkligt djurskydd med djur fria från lidande och stress. Lagstadgade lägstakrav, mer utevistelse och utfasning av snabbväxande raser följer direkt av detta.
- against suffering-causing breedingdecisive»Vi vill stärka arbetet mot avel som kan medföra lidande för djuren.« (party programme ↗)“We want to strengthen the work against breeding that can cause suffering for animals.”
- right to natural behaviour»Djuren ska ha rätt och möjlighet till ett naturligt beteende och då måste djurhållningen anpassas till det.« (party programme ↗)“Animals shall have the right and opportunity for natural behaviour and then animal husbandry must be adapted to it.”
- animals free from suffering»Djur ska leva sina liv fritt från lidande och stress, och så nära sina naturliga beteenden som möjligt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Animals shall live their lives free from suffering and stress, and as close to their natural behaviour as possible.”
- prohibition on cage confinement»förbjuda burhållning av höns.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“prohibit battery caging of hens.”
The plan's bearing commitment for the green sectors is strengthened competitiveness through regulatory simplification and fewer burdens, both within the EU and against the rest of the world.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's bearing commitment for the green sectors is strengthened competitiveness through regulatory simplification and fewer burdens, both within the EU and against the rest of the world. Legislated Swedish special requirements on outdoor time and phasing out chicken breeds instead lay new costs on Swedish producers. Animal welfare responsibility weighs in the plan, but it is competitiveness that carries the position here.
Original (Swedish)
Planens bärande åtagande för de gröna näringarna är stärkt konkurrenskraft genom regelförenklingar och färre pålagor, både inom EU och gentemot övriga världen. Lagstadgade svenska särkrav på utevistelse och utfasning av kycklingraser lägger tvärtom nya kostnader på svenska uppfödare. Djurskyddsansvaret väger i planen, men det är konkurrenskraften som bär ställningstagandet här.
- strengthened competitiveness for agriculturedecisive»Det svenska lantbrukets konkurrenskraft, både inom EU och gentemot övriga världen, ska förstärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Swedish agriculture's competitiveness, both within the EU and against the rest of the world, shall be strengthened.”
- competitive agriculture»Sverige behöver ett ännu mer konkurrenskraftigt jordbruk.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden needs an even more competitive agriculture.”
- fewer burdens in the countryside»Dyra, krångliga och innovationshämmande regelverk ligger som en våt filt över delar av landsbygden. Vi ska rensa upp bland överflödiga regler och byråkrati.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Expensive, complicated and innovation-hampering regulations lie like a wet blanket over parts of the countryside. We shall clean up unnecessary rules and bureaucracy.”
- animal welfare responsibility»Ett tydligt ansvarstagande och respekt för djur och natur« (party programme ↗)“Clear responsibility-taking and respect for animals and nature”
The party programme's requirement that all animal husbandry shall guarantee animals a dignified life directly hits a rearing where growth rate causes bone pain and premature death.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme's requirement that all animal husbandry shall guarantee animals a dignified life directly hits a rearing where growth rate causes bone pain and premature death. The plan also sees animal treatment as a measure of civilisation and wants to tighten inspection to ensure that animal welfare regulations are followed. That public health in the EU should weigh more heavily than agricultural interests supports that minimum standards are set in law even when the industry opposes it.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammets krav att all djurhållning ska garantera djuren ett värdigt liv träffar direkt en uppfödning där tillväxttakten ger bensmärta och förtida död. Planen ser dessutom djurhanteringen som ett mått på civilisationen och vill skärpa kontrollen av att djurskyddsreglerna efterlevs. Att folkhälsan i EU ska väga tyngre än jordbruksintressen stödjer att lägstanivåer sätts i lag även när näringen motsätter sig det.
- dignified animal husbandrydecisive»All djurhållning måste garantera djuren ett värdigt liv och en anständig död.« (party programme ↗)“All animal husbandry must guarantee animals a dignified life and a decent death.”
- animal welfare as civilisation measure»Hur vi hanterar våra djur är ett mått på vår civilisation och en förutsättning för en god folkhälsa.« (party programme ↗)“How we treat our animals is a measure of our civilisation and a prerequisite for good public health.”
- public health before agricultural interests»I EU ska hänsynen till folkhälsan väga tyngre än jordbruksintressen.« (party programme ↗)“In the EU, consideration for public health should weigh more heavily than agricultural interests.”
- tightened compliance inspection»nationella lagar och EU-regler efterlevs måste skärpas.« (party programme ↗)“national laws and EU regulations are followed must be tightened.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme requires that animals in human care be allowed to live as natural a life as possible and that attention be paid to their physiological and behavioural needs, and that unnecessary suffering shall not occur.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that animals in human care be allowed to live as natural a life as possible and that attention be paid to their physiological and behavioural needs, and that unnecessary suffering shall not occur. Fast-growing breeds with bone pain and movement disorders violate this, which is why statutory minimum requirements and more outdoor time align with the plan. The requirement for equivalent competitive conditions for the industry qualifies but does not override.
Original (Swedish)
Principprogrammet kräver att djur i människans vård får leva ett så naturligt liv som möjligt och att hänsyn tas till deras fysiologiska och beteendemässiga behov, samt att onödigt lidande inte ska förekomma. Snabbväxande raser med bensmärta och rörelsestörningar strider mot detta, varför lagstadgade lägstakrav och mer utevistelse ligger i planens linje. Kravet på likvärdiga konkurrensvillkor för näringen kvalificerar men väger inte över.
- animals shall live natural livesdecisive»Det innebär att människan ska ta väl hand om de djur som hon har i sin vård och sörja för att dessa djur får leva ett så naturligt liv som möjligt.« (party programme ↗)“It means that humans shall take good care of the animals in their care and ensure that these animals are allowed to live as natural a life as possible.”
- animals' behavioural needs»Vid djurhållning ska också djurens hälsa främjas och hänsyn tas till djurens fysiologiska och beteendemässiga behov.« (party programme ↗)“In animal husbandry, animal health shall also be promoted and attention shall be paid to animals' physiological and behavioural needs.”
- no unnecessary suffering»Onödigt lidande ska inte förekomma« (party programme ↗)“Unnecessary suffering shall not occur”
- equivalent competitive conditions»Det är nödvändigt att dessa näringar ges likvärdiga konkurrensvillkor gentemot andra länder.« (party programme ↗)“It is necessary that these industries are given equivalent competitive conditions compared to other countries.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan's stated line is to support, not control, farming: fewer rules, shorter processing times and lower fees so that food production in Sweden makes sense.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's stated line is to support, not control, farming: fewer rules, shorter processing times and lower fees so that food production in Sweden makes sense. Statutory minimum levels for outdoor time and a phase-out of fast-growing breeds would instead impose new national production requirements on Swedish farmers. It goes against the plan's commitment to reduce regulatory burden and strengthen domestic production.
Original (Swedish)
Planens uttalade linje är att stötta, inte styra, jordbruket: färre regler, kortare handläggningstider och lägre avgifter för att det ska löna sig att producera livsmedel i Sverige. Lagstadgade lägstanivåer för utevistelse och en utfasning av snabbväxande raser skulle i stället lägga nya nationella produktionskrav på svenska uppfödare. Det går emot planens åtagande att minska regelbördan och stärka den inhemska produktionen.
- support don't control farmingdecisive»Vi ska stötta, inte styra, jord- och skogsbruket« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We should support, not control, agriculture and forestry”
- fewer farming rules»Minska antalet regler för jordbruket och korta handläggningstider för miljötillstånd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce the number of rules for agriculture and shorten processing times for environmental permits”
- increased domestic production»Stärka jordbruket för att öka den inhemska produktionen av livsmedel« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen agriculture to increase domestic food production”
- lower slaughter sector costs»Sänka slakteriavgifterna« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower slaughterhouse fees”
The plan admittedly wants to strengthen animal welfare, but its operative line is to compensate animal farmers who hold higher standards than the EU and to protect agriculture's competitiveness, not to impose new statutory requirements on Swedish producers.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan admittedly wants to strengthen animal welfare, but its operative line is to compensate animal farmers who hold higher standards than the EU and to protect agriculture's competitiveness, not to impose new statutory requirements on Swedish producers. The counter-proposal's requirement for statutory welfare criteria and phase-out of fast-growing breeds is precisely such a Swedish special requirement without compensation. The plan thus speaks against the requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill visserligen stärka djurskyddet, men dess operativa linje är att ersätta djurhållare som håller högre standard än EU och att värna jordbrukets konkurrenskraft, inte att lägga nya lagkrav på svenska producenter. Motförslagets krav på lagstadgade välfärdskriterier och utfasning av snabbväxande raser är just ett sådant svenskt särkrav utan kompensation. Planen talar därför emot kravet.
- special requirements without compensationdecisive»Svenska särkrav för miljöskydd och djurvälfärd gör dessutom ofta inhemsk produktion dyrare än konkurrenternas utan att svenska lantbrukare kompenseras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Swedish special requirements for environmental protection and animal welfare also often make domestic production more expensive than competitors' without Swedish farmers being compensated.”
- compensation instead of mandatory requirements»Sverigedemokraterna vill också ersätta djurhållare som håller en högre standard för djurhållning än vad som gäller i EU generellt« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats also want to compensate animal farmers who hold a higher standard for animal husbandry than what applies in the EU generally”
- agriculture's competitiveness»Öka det svenska jordbrukets konkurrenskraft och Sveriges självförsörjning av livsmedel« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase Swedish agriculture's competitiveness and Sweden's self-sufficiency of food”
- strengthened animal welfare»Sverigedemokraterna vill ha ett stärkt djurskydd där större hänsyn tas till djurens naturliga beteende.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want a strengthened animal welfare where greater consideration is given to animals' natural behavior.”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:MJU11)
- Committee report full text (HB01MJU11)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1078 — Veterinärutbildning av Carina Ödebrink m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1089 — Förbud mot vilda djur på cirkus och valar i fångenskap av Markus Wiechel och Victoria Tiblom (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1090 — Antibiotikaresistens av Markus Wiechel och Victoria Tiblom (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1093 — En moderniserad hantering av tamdjur av Markus Wiechel och Victoria Tiblom (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1094 — Djur inom livsmedelsindustrin av Markus Wiechel och Victoria Tiblom (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1095 — Slakt av Markus Wiechel och Victoria Tiblom (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1097 — Privatisering av distriktsveterinärverksamheten av Markus Wiechel och Victoria Tiblom (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1280 — Utfasning av djurförsök av Ulrika Heindorff (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1365 — Underlättat regelverk för hemslakt och försäljning av kött från den egna gården av Anna-Belle Strömberg och Peter Hedberg (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1399 — Trygga hundtransporter av Ann-Sofie Alm (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1525 — Utfasning av turbokycklingar av Rebecka Le Moine m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1531 — Att förebygga och begränsa spridning av afrikansk svinpest av Marie Nicholson m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1757 — Avlivning av djur enligt djurskyddslagen (2018:1192) av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1758 — En ny kostnadsmodell för veterinärvård av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1767 — Förbud mot försäljning av fjädrar av fågeldun av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1851 — Artskydd för varg och hund av Isak From och Monica Haider (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1872 — Åtgärder för att hindra spridning av afrikansk svinpest och andra sjukdomar av Emma Nohrén och Jacob Risberg (båda MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1949 — Förprövningen av djurstallar av Magnus Manhammar (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1956 — Kornas rätt till bete och utevistelse av Magnus Manhammar (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2011 — Förbud mot burhållning av hönor i Sverige av Magnus Manhammar (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament