Insect farming for food and feed is expanding rapidly. The welfare of farmed insects - a question taken increasingly seriously as evidence of nociception accumulates - is an emerging field with few established standards.
Insect welfare sits at the frontier of welfare science. The current evidence base does not confirm rich subjective experience in insects, but it does not rule out nociception - the capacity to detect and respond to harmful stimuli in ways that influence behaviour. The precautionary argument is strong: if there is meaningful probability that billions of insects experience something morally relevant, the welfare implications of insect farming at industrial scale are significant. Responsible insect farming requires investing in welfare research, applying precautionary standards for end-of-life methods, and monitoring conditions that influence stress responses in target species.