According to the animal rights lobby “Eurogroup for Animals“, insect farming presents both light and shadow, and society should debate the issue. They question whether it truly represents a revolution for food sustainability, and believe that with the relaxation of European regulations — under which 9 insect species have been authorised, including the black soldier fly and the mealworm, for food and feed production — a rigorous debate on its appropriateness should be opened. In their view, as set out in a 33-page report: “Insect farming: a six-legged problem“, insect farming is not a practice that will provide solutions to agricultural challenges.
A fundamental concern for this pressure group is that livestock production focuses on feed production for “intensive farming” of animals, and this does not address the environmental problems associated with conventional agriculture. This is because recent studies indicate that insect-derived proteins, particularly when insects are fed on grains rather than food waste, may have greater environmental impacts than conventional ingredients such as soybean meal.
Furthermore, despite claims that insect farming contributes to a circular economy by converting food waste into protein, this concept is difficult to implement in practice, since — due to logistical and economic challenges — many insect producers use raw materials such as grains and agricultural by-products that could be used directly for human or animal consumption.
Another significant concern relates to biosecurity risks, as farmed insects — often non-native species — could threaten local ecosystems in the event of accidental release. Moreover, the growing use of genetic manipulation to improve insect productivity adds further risks, since genetically modified species could spread into the natural environment, potentially causing ecological damage.
With regard to food security, insect farming is often presented as a solution to reduce Europe’s dependence on imported raw materials. However, in their view, much of Europe’s insect production is shifting to low-cost regions such as Southeast Asia, which undermines the food self-sufficiency of the European Union. In addition, the safety of insect farming by-products — such as frass used as fertiliser — is under debate, as recent research has highlighted potential plant health risks associated with the use of these by-products.
Finally, concerns are also raised regarding the welfare of farmed insects, as studies suggest that some insect species may be capable of experiencing pain. Since no specific regulations currently exist to protect their welfare, there is concern about this regulatory gap, given the potential suffering inflicted on these creatures.
The animal rights lobby concludes that while insect farming offers potential benefits, there are numerous challenges related to environmental sustainability, food safety and animal welfare, and a more thorough assessment of its real impacts and a more rigorous regulatory framework would be required before promoting its expansion in Europe.
For further reading:
-. “The environmental sustainability of insects as food and feed. A review” Wageningen University
-. “Regulations on the use of insects in animal feed“. Ministry of Agriculture, Spain