Agroecological farming systems can achieve higher animal welfare while also improving environmental outcomes and farmer livelihoods.
Agroecological farming integrates animal welfare with ecological principles: animals raised in appropriate social groups with access to pasture and species-appropriate environments. Pigs root in fields, chickens forage for insects, cattle graze on diverse pastures. These systems produce food with measurably higher welfare outcomes while supporting soil health and biodiversity. They require more land per unit of production, which points toward reducing total consumption alongside improving production welfare.