Gov. Terry Branstad says: “I can’t think of anything more humane than protecting baby pigs from being crushed to death by big sows. That’s why I can’t understand why a group that calls itself the Humane Society would be against saving baby pigs.”

Gestation crates are used when sows are pregnant. There are no baby pigs involved. There is no reason to confine these intelligent, sentient beings in these tiny crates while they are pregnant. They cannot even turn around. But all the industrial hog operations care about is profit.

It is so disingenuous for Branstad to pretend he cares about the welfare of the pigs.

Chris Petersen is an independent family farmer who wrote a guest opinion recently. He believes gestation crates should be banned. He said: “You don’t need to be a pig psychiatrist to see that the animals go insane in these crates.”

Please don’t support these cruel practices. Just stop buying their products.

Lynn Gallagher

Solon