Sows giving birth and suckling their piglets are kept in farrowing crates which severely restrict their movements and behavioural freedom. Momentum for change to free or flexible (i.e. temporary) farrowing systems is growing, with voluntary or legal bans coming in across EU countries, and a major debate in the UK pig industry. SRUC has a 40-year history of applied research and knowledge exchange in this area, influencing farming stakeholders, regulators and policy makers.