Farm Animal Welfare Future Outlook

The trajectory of farm animal welfare improvement over the coming decades depends on policy, technology, markets, and cultural change working together.

Key Facts

Protein transition away from conventional animal products toward plant-based and cultivated alternatives will reduce farm animal numbers
Regulatory tightening in the EU and UK is raising minimum welfare floors across species
Technology including precision livestock farming is enabling continuous welfare monitoring at scale
Consumer and corporate pressure is driving cage-free, antibiotic-stewardship, and slower-growing breed commitments
The global south represents both the largest growth in animal agriculture and the lowest welfare standards
Cultured meat scale-up could eventually reduce farmed animal numbers by orders of magnitude

Welfare Considerations

The future of farm animal welfare is shaped by forces operating at multiple scales simultaneously. Near-term improvements through regulation and certification will be important for the billions of animals alive now. Long-term transformation through protein transition and cultivated alternatives offers the prospect of dramatically reducing the scale of farm animal suffering. Sustained advocacy, smart policy, and welfare-positive innovation are all needed to realise the welfare potential of these trends.

What You Can Do

Support organisations working on both near-term welfare improvement and long-term food system transformation
Engage with food system transition conversations including alternative protein development
Advocate for welfare standards to be maintained during agricultural transition
Donate to effective animal welfare organisations across the spectrum from welfare certification to protein transition
Remain engaged with farm animal welfare as a lifelong priority and help others understand its importance