Insect farming is growing rapidly but welfare standards are only beginning to emerge. The sentience question and practical welfare criteria are central to responsible industry development.
The welfare of farmed insects sits at the frontier of moral consideration. While the evidence for insect sentience remains debated, the precautionary principle supports developing welfare standards given the enormous numbers involved. Temperature, density, food quality and killing methods all have potential welfare relevance and should be addressed in emerging industry standards. Regulatory frameworks are now developing in the UK and EU.