Earthworms are essential soil ecosystem engineers whose welfare is rarely considered despite their ecological importance and evidence for pain responses.
Earthworm welfare sits at the edge of mainstream welfare concern but deserves consideration given behavioral evidence of pain responses and their extraordinary ecological importance. Industrial agriculture causes enormous earthworm mortality through tillage, pesticide application, compaction, and soil acidification. The welfare of earthworms is relevant both as a direct concern and because earthworm population decline has cascading effects on soil health, plant growth, and the welfare of countless species that depend on healthy soil ecosystems. No-till agriculture and organic farming practices significantly improve earthworm welfare and population health.