Crickets in Insect Farming for Protein

Cricket farming for human and animal protein is growing rapidly, with emerging evidence that crickets may have welfare-relevant experiences.

Key Facts

Global insect farming for protein produces an estimated 1 trillion individual insects annually
Crickets show protective responses to noxious stimuli and have nociceptors analogous to those in vertebrates
High-density cricket farming conditions can cause limb loss, dehydration, and disease spread in crowded populations
CO2 chilling before killing is considered more humane than other methods based on behavioral indicators
The welfare implications of insect farming at scale are under-researched relative to the industry growth rate

Welfare Considerations

The question of insect welfare is scientifically unresolved but the precautionary principle applies at enormous numerical scale. Even if the probability of cricket sentience is low, the number of individuals affected means the expected welfare impact is large. Developing welfare standards for insect farming now, as the industry grows, is far easier than retrofitting them later.

What You Can Do

Support research into insect sentience and welfare indicators as a priority in emerging food systems science
Choose insect-based protein products from producers who disclose and minimize mortality during production
Advocate for welfare consideration to be built into insect farming regulatory frameworks from the outset