The expression and understanding of pain is a learned form of communication, one that can be especially difficult to interpret across different species. However, Hans Coetzee, a distinguished professor of animal welfare at Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, has made significant strides in cracking this code for farm animals.
Coetzee has dedicated much of his career to assessing and alleviating pain in livestock. His pioneering work has led to the first regulatory approval of pain relief medications for livestock, improving the well-being of millions of animals.
In recognition of his contributions, the National Academy of Sciences has awarded Coetzee the 2025 Prize in Food and Agriculture Science. This prestigious award honors a mid-career scientist who has made extraordinary advancements in agriculture or contributed to understanding the biology of species crucial to food production.
Coetzee will be formally recognized at a ceremony in April at the National Academy of Sciences’ annual meeting in Washington, D.C., where he will receive a medal and a $100,000 award, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research.
His work has earned him previous accolades, including the 2017 Animal Welfare Award and the World Veterinary Association’s Global Animal Welfare Award, as well as the K-State Alumni Association’s Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Research in 2022.
