Governor John Baldacci in the US state of Maine has signed legislation prohibiting the use of gestation crates for sows and veal crates for calves, effective Jan. 1, 2011.
The new law was passed by the committee and both chambers unanimously.
Californians overwhelmingly passed a similar measure, The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, by ballot initiative last autumn. Maine is the sixth state to mass similar legislation.
In addition to California, four other states have passed similar measures, including Colorado, Florida, Arizona and Oregon.