Farmed Insect Welfare Standards Development

The rapid growth of insect farming for food and feed has prompted urgent development of welfare standards for billions of farmed insects.

Key Facts

Global insect production for food and feed is growing rapidly, with millions of tonnes projected by 2030
Black soldier fly, mealworms, and crickets are the primary commercially farmed insect species
Scientific evidence for insect sentience is uncertain but the precautionary principle supports welfare consideration
Stunning before killing - using methods like heat, cold, or CO2 - is increasingly recommended
Substrate quality, moisture, and crowding density affect insect welfare and product quality
The IPIFF and FAO have published guidance on insect production welfare considerations
Regulatory frameworks for farmed insect welfare are emerging in the EU and UK

Welfare Considerations

The scale of insect farming creates a potential welfare issue of enormous magnitude if insects are capable of suffering. While scientific uncertainty about insect sentience remains, applying a precautionary approach - minimising unnecessary suffering and developing humane killing methods - is ethically appropriate. Establishing welfare standards now, while the industry is still developing, is far easier than retrofitting them later.

What You Can Do

Support organisations developing evidence-based insect welfare standards like Rethink Priorities
Choose insect products from producers who apply welfare-conscious rearing and killing methods
Engage with debates about insect sentience with an open mind and evidence-based approach
Advocate for insect welfare to be included in food production regulatory frameworks
Support research into insect sentience and the development of validated welfare indicators