Yellow Mealworm Welfare Standards

The Responsibly Raised Insects (RRI) program is designed to drive meaningful, continuous improvement in the welfare of farmed insects. Our standards for yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) focus on the entire life cycle of the insect — from breeding and larval development, to transport and slaughter.

The program is built on a tiered certification system. This approach allows a diverse range of producers to engage with the program while highlighting higher welfare systems that more closely replicate the insects’ natural environment and behavioral needs.

The Tier summaries below show how welfare requirements increase at each level. As the Tier increases, the standards require increasingly complex environmental management and specialized handling protocols to minimize stress.