Billions of insects are farmed for food and feed with minimal welfare standards. Emerging evidence for insect sentience is driving new thinking about their moral status and treatment.
Insect welfare is a genuinely uncertain but important emerging issue. If insects can experience suffering, the scale of insect farming means the welfare implications are enormous. The precautionary principle suggests that while we await clearer evidence, reducing potential insect suffering through humane slaughter methods and better understanding of their needs is warranted given the scale involved.