Farm animal welfare is at a crossroads as technological innovation, regulatory pressure, and changing consumer values converge to reshape production systems.
The trajectory of farm animal welfare improvement is positive but incomplete. Technology creates new welfare monitoring possibilities while also enabling more intensive production. Consumer demand for higher welfare products is growing in some markets but not everywhere. Policy frameworks are becoming more ambitious, but enforcement and incentive design remain challenges. The next decade will likely see significant transformations in farm animal welfare driven by converging pressures from science, technology, markets, and regulation.