Race to the Top of Farm Animal Welfare Policies in US States: What Can Explain the New Development? A Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Over the past two decades, US states have accelerated farm animal welfare policies, banning the confinement of laying hens, sows, and veal calves. This study explores the conditions enabling such policy change through a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) of 79 cases of successful and unsuccessful initiatives since 2000. Using a newly created dataset, it identifies two key pathways to policy change: direct democracy tools; and extending regulations to imports, where the affected sector is relevant. This can additionally induce policy change in other states, offering a potentially important explanation for the “California effect” rather than a race to the bottom.