Insect farming is growing rapidly as a sustainable protein source. The welfare of billions of farmed insects is an emerging ethical question with limited current regulation.
Insect welfare is genuinely uncertain but the scale of farming demands precautionary consideration. If even a small fraction of insects have morally relevant experiences, the welfare implications of producing trillions annually are enormous. Current slaughter methods may cause prolonged distress in species with evidence of nociception. Simple welfare improvements - cold stunning before slaughter and substrate quality standards - could reduce potential suffering at low cost.