Improving bird welfare has been an important dynamic in contemporary food systems. Over the past decades this has led to a gradual ban of battery cages for layer production systems and substantial changes in broiler production. As a result, poultry operations had to up their game in the broadest sense of the word. Investments in new housing and control systems, adaptations in feeding regimes and composition and last but not least bird management and stockmanship had to be rethought. Higher welfare comes at a cost, but is essential for a future proof license to produce. This special section on Higher Welfare poultry production takes a look at all this issues…