Global Welfare Progress: Farmed Animal Advances

Tracking measurable progress in farmed animal welfare reveals both genuine achievements and the enormous scale of remaining challenges.

Key Facts

Cage-free egg production has grown from under 5% to over 30% of US production between 2015 and 2025
Over 2,000 companies have made cage-free commitments, driven by corporate campaigning by welfare organizations
The EU Farm to Fork Strategy includes commitments to phase out caged farming systems for multiple species
Gestation stall-free commitments from major food companies have driven significant industry transition
Broiler chicken welfare pledges including the Better Chicken Commitment have been made by hundreds of companies
Developing markets including China and Brazil represent the fastest-growing sources of farm animal welfare concern
Global farmed animal numbers continue to increase despite welfare improvements in specific production systems

Welfare Considerations

Measuring progress in farmed animal welfare requires holding two truths simultaneously: genuine, measurable improvements have been achieved through sustained advocacy, and the scale of suffering in global food systems continues to expand. The cage-free transition represents millions of hens moved from battery cages to systems with significantly better welfare potential. Corporate commitments to higher welfare standards, when fulfilled and verified, represent real welfare improvement at scale. The challenge is that welfare improvements in some production regions are overwhelmed by volume growth in others. The most effective welfare strategies address both the quality of individual animal experience and the structural drivers of demand for animal products.

What You Can Do

Support effective advocacy organizations that have driven corporate welfare commitments
Verify that corporate welfare commitments have been fulfilled — track implementation, not just pledges
Reduce consumption of animal products from systems with the poorest welfare standards
Support international welfare standards development that addresses welfare in fast-growing production regions
Engage with the effective altruism and animal advocacy communities to direct resources to highest-impact interventions