Welfare Science

Insect Farming Welfare Emerging Standards

As insect farming scales rapidly for food and feed, welfare standards for farmed insects are beginning to emerge from science and ethics.

Key Facts

Global insect farming produces millions of tonnes of insects annually for food and feed
Evidence for insect sentience and pain capacity is uncertain but cannot be dismissed
Black soldier fly larvae are among the most intensively farmed species globally
Welfare standards include density limits, appropriate substrates, and humane killing methods
The UK, EU, and several other jurisdictions are developing insect welfare guidance

Welfare Considerations

The precautionary principle demands that we apply welfare thinking to insect farming even while the science of insect sentience remains unresolved. Developing evidence-based standards now prevents regret at the scale these industries are reaching.

What You Can Do

Support research into insect sentience and appropriate welfare standards
Choose insect-derived products from producers with transparent welfare practices
Advocate for precautionary welfare standards in insect farming regulations