Invertebrates

Farmed Insects and Future Protein Welfare

As insect farming scales to meet demand for sustainable protein, welfare frameworks for farmed insects are urgently needed but remain underdeveloped.

Key Facts

The global insect farming industry is valued at several billion dollars and growing rapidly
Black soldier fly larvae, mealworms, and crickets are the primary species farmed
Stocking densities in insect farms may be orders of magnitude higher than any vertebrate farm
Killing methods include freezing, heating, and grinding with uncertain welfare implications
The London School of Economics review found uncertain but possibly significant insect sentience

Welfare Considerations

The scale of insect farming means that even a small probability of suffering across billions of individuals constitutes potentially large total welfare impact. Welfare frameworks for insect farming should be developed now rather than retroactively when the industry has scaled further. Key questions include minimum space requirements, optimal killing methods, and the welfare implications of the full production cycle from hatching to slaughter.

What You Can Do

Support research into insect sentience and welfare as a policy priority
Engage with consultations on insect farming welfare regulation
Advocate for proportionate precautionary welfare standards in insect farming
Learn about the uncertainty around insect welfare to make more informed choices
Support organisations developing insect welfare frameworks including Insect Welfare