By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 03:37 EST, 13 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:12 EST, 13 August 2012 . The price of bacon is set to soar next year with new welfare laws threatening to push many European producers out of business. A Europe-wide partial ban on sow stalls - crates in which pregnant female pigs are confined - is due to take effect from January 1 2013 and is expected to have a major impact on Europe's pig market. The use of the intensive farming method slashes the cost of pig production, but has come in for intensive criticism from animal rights campaigners and is already banned in the UK. Cruel: A piglet feeds from its mother, held in a . sow stall. The practice, already banned in the UK, is to be outlawed . across the EU . It comes British pig farmers have warned they could be forced out of business as the rising costs of pig feed and supermarket competition on prices squeezes their margins to nearly nothing. The ending of the use of sow stalls across the EU is likely to impose significant costs on pig farmers on the continent which, experts say, could see pig production fall by between 5 and 10 per cent. Pig farmers' group BPEX said the impact was likely to be similar to that caused by similar rules for hens brought in at the start of this year which have led to the price of eggs soaring 75 per cent. Only three EU member states say they are already compliant with the new rules, with several others indicating that they expect a 'significant number' of their producers to stop breeding pigs, the Observer reported. BPEX spokesman Stephen Howarth told MailOnline: 'There's quite a significant investment in converting from one system to another. 'In the current economic climate, it's not going to be easy for people to get the financing to put in those changes. 'Probably some of those who were leaving the investment to the last minute might say now it's not worth making that investment.' Sow stalls are used in pig factory farms, known as intensive piggeries, which are usually housed in large warehouse-like buildings or barns. Breeding sows are confined to the crates throughout their three-month pregnancies, making it easier for farmers to feed them and control growth. The new rules will not bring European intensive piggeries quite up to UK standards of animal welfare but European farmers will be forced to stop keeping sows alone in crates. Instead they will be kept in slightly larger pens with other pigs which will allow them more freedom to move. Sow stalls have been banned in the UK since 1999. Mr Howarth said it was difficult to estimate how much much prices might increase at the butcher's counter, but he said the changes could see a 10 per cent increase in the price of pigs 'at the farmer's gate'. Animal welfare: Instead of being kept in the restrictive stalls, the rules will force farmers to keep their animals in pens which allow them more freedom to move . The changes to EU animal welfare rules come as British pig farmers have warned that they are being forced out of business because of the skyrocketing costs of pig feed. One hundred pig producers say they could be forced to shut down their pig units by Christmas because they can't afford to feed their animals. Price hikes: The change in welfare rules price a rise in the cost of pig feed threaten to send prices of bacon up . The problem is poor crop growing weather around the world which is pushing up the cost of pig feed. In a double whammy many small and medium sized producers are also being crippled as supermarkets continue to source cheaper pork from abroad. British pig farmers, who are recognised as world leaders in high welfare pig farming, are now urging shoppers to 'Buy British' in a bid to shore up the nation's pig production industry. Shoppers can look for the 'Red Tractor' logo found on British-produced products to make sure they are supporting the nation's farmers. Although imported sausages and bacon will still be available these are not produced to the same welfare standards as in Britain. National Pig Association general manager Dr Zoe Davies said: 'If supermarkets see a surge in demand for British product, they may be persuaded to pay our farmers the few extra pennies a kilo more they need to cover their soaring feed bills. 'So we are asking shoppers, who have always been incredibly loyal in the past, to please be extra careful to look for the British Red Tractor logo on bacon, sausages, and pork.'
EU to impose ban on sow stalls from January 1 2013 .
Their use has been banned in UK since 1999 .
By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 03:37 EST, 13 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:12 EST, 13 August 2012 . The price of bacon is set to soar next year with new welfare laws threatening to push many European producers out of business. A Europe-wide partial ban on sow stalls - crates in which pregnant female pigs are confined - is due to take effect from January 1 2013 and is expected to have a major impact on Europe's pig market. The use of the intensive farming method slashes the cost of pig production, but has come in for intensive criticism from animal rights campaigners and is already banned in the UK. Cruel: A piglet feeds from its mother, held in a . sow stall. The practice, already banned in the UK, is to be outlawed . across the EU . It comes British pig farmers have warned they could be forced out of business as the rising costs of pig feed and supermarket competition on prices squeezes their margins to nearly nothing. The ending of the use of sow stalls across the EU is likely to impose significant costs on pig farmers on the continent which, experts say, could see pig production fall by between 5 and 10 per cent. Pig farmers' group BPEX said the impact was likely to be similar to that caused by similar rules for hens brought in at the start of this year which have led to the price of eggs soaring 75 per cent. Only three EU member states say they are already compliant with the new rules, with several others indicating that they expect a 'significant number' of their producers to stop breeding pigs, the Observer reported. BPEX spokesman Stephen Howarth told MailOnline: 'There's quite a significant investment in converting from one system to another. 'In the current economic climate, it's not going to be easy for people to get the financing to put in those changes. 'Probably some of those who were leaving the investment to the last minute might say now it's not worth making that investment.' Sow stalls are used in pig factory farms, known as intensive piggeries, which are usually housed in large warehouse-like buildings or barns. Breeding sows are confined to the crates throughout their three-month pregnancies, making it easier for farmers to feed them and control growth. The new rules will not bring European intensive piggeries quite up to UK standards of animal welfare but European farmers will be forced to stop keeping sows alone in crates. Instead they will be kept in slightly larger pens with other pigs which will allow them more freedom to move. Sow stalls have been banned in the UK since 1999. Mr Howarth said it was difficult to estimate how much much prices might increase at the butcher's counter, but he said the changes could see a 10 per cent increase in the price of pigs 'at the farmer's gate'. Animal welfare: Instead of being kept in the restrictive stalls, the rules will force farmers to keep their animals in pens which allow them more freedom to move . The changes to EU animal welfare rules come as British pig farmers have warned that they are being forced out of business because of the skyrocketing costs of pig feed. One hundred pig producers say they could be forced to shut down their pig units by Christmas because they can't afford to feed their animals. Price hikes: The change in welfare rules price a rise in the cost of pig feed threaten to send prices of bacon up . The problem is poor crop growing weather around the world which is pushing up the cost of pig feed. In a double whammy many small and medium sized producers are also being crippled as supermarkets continue to source cheaper pork from abroad. British pig farmers, who are recognised as world leaders in high welfare pig farming, are now urging shoppers to 'Buy British' in a bid to shore up the nation's pig production industry. Shoppers can look for the 'Red Tractor' logo found on British-produced products to make sure they are supporting the nation's farmers. Although imported sausages and bacon will still be available these are not produced to the same welfare standards as in Britain. National Pig Association general manager Dr Zoe Davies said: 'If supermarkets see a surge in demand for British product, they may be persuaded to pay our farmers the few extra pennies a kilo more they need to cover their soaring feed bills. 'So we are asking shoppers, who have always been incredibly loyal in the past, to please be extra careful to look for the British Red Tractor logo on bacon, sausages, and pork.'
Europe-wide partial ban on sow stalls - crates in to take effect from January 1 2013 and is the UK since 1999. Mr Howarth said it was