Tasmania today became the first Australian state to ban sow stalls.

The Primary Industry Minister Bryan Green has accepted a recommendation from the Tasmanian Animal Welfare Advisory Committee to ban dry sow stalls in piggeries by 2017.

The stalls are used to confine pregnant pigs so they can't turn around or attack each other.

Animal welfare groups say they're unacceptably cruel, but some large commercial producers say they're the easiest way to stop pigs injuring each other.

In addition to the 2017 ban, from 2014, sows may be kept in sow stalls for no more than six weeks during pregnancy.

In a statement, Mr Green says that timeline will give Tasmanian farmers enough time to adjust their operations.

"Managing sows [without stalls] will require more space, new equipment and different animal husbandry practices," he says.

"I would not impose this on pig producers if I did not think it was necessary, both from an animal welfare perspective and for the future of our pork industry in Tasmania."

The ban goes beyond the national standards agreed by industry and Federal Government representatives in 2007.

Those called only for restricting the time sows could be kept in stalls, rather than banning them altogether.

The Tasmanian Animal Welfare Advisory Committee made no recommendations on the state's use of farrowing stalls, which prevent sows from smothering newborn piglets.

Now if everyone can just phase out Coles over the next few years we will be laughing.

Absolutely ! Try and do my bit towards that every few days by going elsewhere. I think I read that they're now trying to get into the insurance market as well !