The article discusses the vast global farming of insects, which surpasses traditional livestock in numbers. Insects are utilized in diverse fields such as agriculture, food production, textiles, and medicine. The growth of insect farming, particularly black soldier flies, suggests a significant increase in production by 2035. Concurrently, ethical concerns regarding the humane treatment of insects arise, influenced by new scientific insights into their capabilities. This challenges the longstanding views on animal welfare and emphasizes the importance of defining how we treat these creatures.
All told, trillions of insects are farmed each year across the globe—more than all other livestock combined. Currently, roughly 30 times as many insects are produced as the most-farmed 'traditional' farm animal: the chicken.
As an ethics professor, I think this raises pressing questions about what it means to treat insects humanely. The emerging field of insect welfare seems increasingly important.
While most scientists have long abandoned the view that animals are mere machines, researchers have not identified a definitive test for the capacity to feel pain in any nonhuman animal.
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