[babyface00]

Let me get this straight...

You believe that not providing pigs with things to play with (I'd call that "toys", but if you don't like that word, that's fine) is the equivalent of "mental abuse?

Furthermore, on the one hand, you believe that this "abuse" is so pervasive and objectionable that laws must be passed to force farmers to abide by your opinions but on the other hand, you don't believe that this is obvious enough that farmers, whose livelihood depends on the health of their livestock, would voluntarily comply?

Would it be too much of a stretch to suggest that possibly pig farmers, who spend much of their lives around these animals, know just a little more about them than volunteers, beurocrats, and the EU?

[mg39]

Yes, pigs deprived of playthings will be bored, and if they're deprived of playthings/mental stimulation their entire lives, that's abusive.

No, farmers don't always do what's best for their animals. They often do what's best for themselves. Animals will grow fat despite horrendous conditions, if you pump them full of enough drugs, hormones, etc.

Yes, sometimes government needs to step in when the private sector fails, and yes, government and nonprofit groups can easily know as much about a problem, if not more, than the private sector.

And no, there is no way you can justify factory farming.