Insect farming for food and feed is growing rapidly as a sustainable protein alternative. But the welfare implications of farming billions of insects deserve careful consideration alongside environmental benefits.
The welfare of farmed insects deserves serious consideration despite the significant uncertainty about their subjective experience. The precautionary principle suggests that when billions of animals are involved and evidence of sentience exists for some species, best practices should be adopted rather than waiting for certainty. This includes research into optimal rearing conditions, development of validated stunning methods, and transparency about management practices. The insect farming industry has an opportunity to develop welfare standards from the ground up rather than retrofitting them to an entrenched system.