Plant-Based Diets and Animal Welfare: The Evidence

Shifting toward plant-based diets reduces demand for animal products and the associated welfare harms, while raising questions about the welfare impacts of crop agriculture.

Key Facts

A plant-based diet could reduce an individual's animal-based food footprint by 90%
Global livestock farming uses 77% of agricultural land for 18% of calories
Plant agriculture kills invertebrates and small mammals through tillage and harvest
Regenerative animal farming can support biodiversity on land unsuitable for crops
Oxford University research confirms plant-based diets have the largest welfare benefit per calorie

Welfare Considerations

Reducing consumption of animal products directly reduces demand for intensive farming systems causing the most suffering. The welfare mathematics heavily favour plant-based eating: plant foods require far fewer animals to die per calorie than animal foods. However, plant agriculture does kill field animals including rabbits, mice, birds, and invertebrates during tillage and harvest. High-welfare animal agriculture on land unsuitable for crops may sometimes be preferable to intensive crop monocultures in welfare terms.

What You Can Do

Reduce meat and dairy consumption, starting with the highest-impact products (beef, lamb, dairy)
Choose plant-based alternatives that meet nutritional needs
Support local food systems that minimise crop monoculture harms
Engage with the evidence-based welfare case for dietary change
Consider veganism as the lowest individual animal welfare footprint option