Farm worker welfare and animal welfare are interconnected — workers under stress, poorly trained, or inadequately supported are less able to provide good animal care, while better conditions for workers often improve animal outcomes.
The connection between farm worker welfare and animal welfare is both ethical and practical. Workers who are poorly trained, overworked, insufficiently supported, and inadequately compensated are more likely to take shortcuts in animal care, less able to detect and respond to animal welfare problems, and — in extreme cases — more likely to engage in deliberate abuse as stress responses. Conversely, workers in supportive environments with adequate training, manageable workloads, and appropriate compensation are better equipped to provide the attentive care that farm animals need. The food system that cares about animal welfare must also care about the humans who care for animals within it.